Pokemon Team Getchu!
by Myuutsuufan
Summary: It was supposed to be the biggest day in Haruki's life...the day he finally was to become a pokemon trainer! But a nap by a peculiar tree turns his world inside out, and changes his appearance!
1. Chapter 1

"Haruki, you're going to be late!"

Haruki woke up groggily as his mother yelled up the stairs. Today was the day for the ten-year-old to become a pokémon trainer, and choose his first pokémon from Professor Oak. He sat up and messed with his black untidy hair, yawning loudly as he squinted his eyes to see out of the window. In an instant at seeing how high the sun was, Haruki was wide awake.

"Ah! I'm gonna be late!!" He jumped off the bed, his foot landing on his skateboard and he fell backwards, hitting his head on the post of his bed. "Wooah!!!" Haruki lay on the floor writhing and gripping his aching head, swearing under his breath. He scrambled to his feet, rummaging through a pile of clothes littering the base of his closet. "Grrr! My lucky shirt isn't in here…!" He threw his head back, and whined at the top of his lungs, "Ma, I can't find my lucky shirt!! Where's my lucky shirt?!"

"It's in your closet, dear! Hurry up, or all of the pokémon will be gone before you even get there," she called back. Haruki growled and banged his head against the back wall of the closet in frustration, rolling onto his back. This was not a good day for his mother to be playing any tricks on him…not on the day that was supposed to be the best day of his life.

He looked up and saw the orange shirt hanging up on a yellow hanger. "Oh…thanks, Ma!" He yelled sheepishly, pulling the shirt from the hanger. Haruki noticed a faint charred smell, and he sniffed his shirt curiously, retching at the stench. "Hey, Ma, what didja wash this in?! Charcoal?!"

"Sorry, dear, little Quilly had it stowed away in his house outside. I didn't have time to wash it…!"

Haruki mumbled as he slipped the charcoal smelling shirt down over his head, "Sure, but you had plenty of time to stuff it on a hanger…!" He also cursed Quilly quietly, how on earth could that Cyndaquil have gotten into his closet and drag his most prized shirt down into his soot-filled house outside without his mother noticing? He finished dressing and rushed out through the bedroom door, almost tripping over Quilly. "Ahh! Quilly!"

"Cynda! Cyndaquil!" Quilly pawed at Haruki's socked foot.

"No, Quilly, I can't play right now!" He looked and saw that the little Cyndaquil had drug his backpack up the stairs and dropped it beside his door. Haruki looked back at Quilly, "You brought my pack to me!" He reached down and stroked the pokémon's head. "Are you excited about me leaving? Didja come to say goodbye…?" Suddenly, a mouse scurried across the floor, startling Quilly. The Cyndaquil let out a yelp and its back flames ignited abruptly, scorching Haruki's pack. "No!! Quilly!!" He quickly picked up the back and blew out the small flame, thrusting his arms into the straps and ran downstairs. Haruki ran past his mother, and she lifted her head.

"What's that smell?" she asked curiously.

"Quilly roasted my pack!" he replied hurriedly as he slipped on his shoes. "Why did Dad have to send us that Cyndaquil anyway?! Most of the time all it ever does is set things on fire when it gets scared and the rest of the time it hides things in its scorched house!"

"Remember, dear? He sent it to us as an apology for not being able to make it back to see you on your big day…" she sighed and returned to her cooking. "Do you know what pokémon you want for your first?"

"Yeah, I want a Bulbasaur!" He said as he rammed his red sports cap on his head, twisting the rim backwards. "It's so cool lookin', and I bet it's the best one of the bunch!" He opened the door quickly. "Bye, Ma! I'll be back in a while with my new pokémon!" Haruki ran out so fast that by the time his mother rushed to the door, he was well out of earshot.

"Dear, you forgot to eat your breakfast!" she called out to him. He waved his hand, signaling that he hadn't heard her and he kept running. "You know how sleepy you get when you don't eat your breakfast!" He continued running, his mother's voice now fully out of range. Haruki ran down the road towards Pallet Town, and halfway there he noticed that he was getting very tired, unaware of a small shadow trailing behind him. He stopped and put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"Why…didn't I…bring my skateboard?" He panted, looking up and seeing Pallet in the distance. "Quilly…could've pulled me…there." He stood back up and yawned loudly, looking around and spotting a nearby tree, "I…don't remember that tree there…before…oh well…" Stretching, he made his way over to it, plopping himself onto the grass. Haruki yawned again, "Maybe…I'll just take a little nap…build up my strength…" He closed his eyes slowly, the warmth of the sun calming him as the slight breeze lulled him slowly to sleep…a small figure hovered in front of him as his eyes closed completely. The sounds outside faded out slowly and Haruki was submerged in darkness. He could feel himself falling. "But…I can't be falling…I'm sitting on the ground…asleep…" The feeling continued as his body began to tingle and heat up. "I…feel strange…" Suddenly, he hit something hard, but he didn't wake up.

"Look, over there!"

"Where?"

"Over there, asleep on that stump!"

"Woah, weird. What's he doing so far out here…? Do you think he's lost…?"

"I hope not. We're on a mission as it is…the last thing we need is another lost pokémon…"

Haruki woke up to the sounds of the voices. He opened his eyes and looked up; he let out a loud yell and fell off of the stump he had obviously been asleep on, and hit his head on the hard ground. "Ow!"

"Hey, are you okay?" Haruki felt hands lift him up to his feet, and he felt a hand try to press something into his mouth. He held up his hands to push the stranger away. "Come on, these will help you feel better…!"

"No!" Just as he opened his mouth, the stranger forced two small objects in and forced him to chew. His mouth was filled with the crunching of berries followed by a strange flavor, a mixture of dry, spicy, sweet, bitter, and sour. Now, suddenly, he was wide awake and his head didn't hurt. "Wow, thanks. I do feel better…" he looked up and saw a Squirtle standing over him. "Hey, little guy, where's your trainer?" The Squirtle looked behind him, and Haruki noticed another pokémon. It was a Meowth. "Don't you guys have a trainer?" He also noticed that they were wearing blue bandanas around their necks. "Nice threads, I prefer the color red myself, but hey. If that's what your trainer wants you guys to wear, whatever…"

"What do you mean? We don't have a trainer…" said the Squirtle as it turned back to face Haruki. Haruki backed up quickly, yelling in surprise,

"Woah! You can talk?!"

Squirtle looked confused. "Yeah, and so can Meowth…and you…and pretty much every pokémon around here-"

Haruki kept crawling backwards away from the strange talking pokémon. "I mean, you can really talk?! I can understand you!!!" This time the Meowth answered.

"Yes, all pokémon can understand each other. It's perfectly normal-"

"Wait, wait, wait! That can't be true, well, I guess it is, but-"

Meowth shrugged, "So what's the problem…?"

"I'm a human! That's the problem! I'm not supposed to understand you guys…at all!" Squirtle and Meowth looked at each other and began to laugh hysterically; Squirtle was laughing so hard that it fell onto its back, continuing to kick and laugh. Meowth wiped its eyes, calming down long enough to say:

"Good one. That's a good one." It looked towards Squirtle, "Says he's a human! Oh, that's rich!!" It returned to laughing hysterically, falling onto the ground and rolling around beside the Squirtle.

"What's so funny?! See, I'm human!!" Haruki held up his hand and discovered that it had changed shape and was orange, and he held up his other hand to find that it had also changed…and so had his arms. Haruki felt of his face, panicking as he fumbled for the hat that once had capped his black untidy hair…both of which were no longer on his head. He rushed over to a nearby puddle, noticing as he ran over that his legs were stubby and orange; he fell to his knees and looked into the small pool of water. He was definitely panicking now; because the reflection he saw wasn't his…it wasn't even human. "What…happened to me…?"

Squirtle finally managed to stop laughing, rolling over onto its front. "Yeah, you look like an ordinary Charmander to me…" It stood to its feet, brushing off dirt and grass from its bandana. The world around Haruki seemed to spin.

"I…I-I'm a Charmander…?"


	2. Chapter 2

"I…I-I'm a Charmander…?"

"Yeah, why did you think you were a human? That must have been some fall to make you-" Squirtle said as it rummaged in its Berry Pouch.

Haruki began to panic again. Everything was happening so fast. "Fall?! What do you mean?! I was asleep under a tree! How could I fall?!"

Meowth was beginning to get irritated, quickly regaining its bossy composure, "Look, kid. Junior and I, here, saw you fall," it raised its paw towards the branches of a tree that hung over the stump where they had found Haruki asleep, "from up there.

Unless we just happened to imagine a Charmander falling from a tree…" Now Haruki was getting irritated. They just didn't understand…he had fallen asleep under a tree as a human; Haruki knew that much to be true. As for waking up under a tree as a Charmander, this only had to be a dream. A Charmander?! Why a Charmander? Why couldn't he have dreamed himself to be a Bulbasaur or a legendary pokémon? Anything but a Charmander!

"I'm telling you, I was tired and fell asleep under a tree," he pointed to the tree Meowth had mentioned the branches belonging to, "and I was human!"

"Well, I say," Meowth growled, getting up close to Haruki's face, "you're just one very mixed up pokémon who apparently has an identity issue that needs to be straightened out!"

Squirtle was getting nervous, looking from Meowth to Haruki and back. "G-Guys…?" It took a few steps back as Haruki got his face close to Meowth's, his forehead pressing against its. His flame began to grow slowly as his anger and frustration continued to build.

"Well, I say that it's apparent you don't believe me!"

"Because I don't! It's too wild a story to be true! I bet you made the whole thing up, expecting us to bow down and worship you!"

"I did not!!"

Squirtle hid behind the stump, barely peeking over the top at the two pokémon. "G-G-Guys…c-calm down, p-p-please…?"

Meowth extended its claws, flinging back its arm, "Scratch Attack!!!" Haruki ducked and Meowth's attack hit the ground, throwing dirt everywhere. He wasn't going to let it use an attack on him without retaliation. He took a deep breath as a smoke stream issued from his mouth,

"Ember!!!" The flames erupted from his tail and shot towards Meowth. It rolled out of the way and the attack set a nearby bush on fire. Squirtle, panicking, rushed over to the bush,

"Water Gun!!!" A jet of water burst out of its mouth and doused the flame quickly.

"Try to torch me, will you?!" Meowth screamed as it reared back for another attack.

"Tackle!!!" Haruki shouted, and he hit the pokémon in the stomach, knocking the wind out of it. Meowth rolled back, standing up shakily but ready getting ready to attack again.

"Why, you little-!"

"Bubble!!! Tackle!!!" Haruki was hit hard in the gut, falling onto his back as Meowth was hit fully with a jet of bubbles and fell onto its back as well.

"Wha-?!"

"Mmph!!"

They sat up, their eyes staring straight at Squirtle, whom looked surprised at what it had just done. Meowth stood up and shook itself dry, shouting, "What'd ya to that for?! I had everything under control!!!"

"N-Not from where I was hiding!" Squirtle said, shaking slightly. "I-I think y-you should apologize t-to C-Charmander, M-Meowth…"

"What?!" Meowth shouted, taken aback by the suggestion. "Are you nuts, Squirtle?! Why should I apologize to this fire breathing hot head?!"

"Hot head?!" Haruki growled, his flame dangerously growing again, smoke billowing from his mouth.

Meowth turned to Haruki and raised its paw again, claws extended fully. "Wanna go again, Smokey?!" Suddenly, it was doused in water, yelping in surprise. Meowth turned to Squirtle, "You're gonna defend this…this…?!"

Squirtle hesitated before firmly nodding its head. "Yes, I am. He didn't do anything to you, except tell a story that you don't believe…"

"And you believe it…?!"

Again, Squirtle hesitated, trying to choose its words carefully. "Well…I don't not believe it…"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!!" Meowth screamed, stamping its feet like a spoiled child. Ignoring Meowth's tantrum, Squirtle turned to Haruki.

"Would you like to join our rescue team, Charmander?"  
Taken aback, Haruki stuttered, "W-W-Wha-?"

"OH, NO YOU DON'T!!! I'M THE LEADER! I DECIDE WHO JOINS AND WHO DOESN'T…AND HE'S NOT GONNA JOIN!!!"

Haruki smirked and nodded once, firmly crossing his arms. "I'd love to, Squirtle." He looked at the enraged Meowth, "I'd like to very much."

"WHAT?!" Meowth screamed its jaw dropping. It shook its head in disbelief, reaching behind its neck and untied the blue bandana, showing it to Squirtle. "If he joins…then I QUIT!"

Squirtle looked from the bandana to Meowth, and then to Haruki. "Fine!" Meowth looked both surprised and furious, rolling the bandana into a ball and throwing it on the ground; it turned on the spot and stomped away, mumbling heatedly under its breath. Squirtle sighed and picked up the ball of cloth, shaking it open and patting off the dirt from it. "We'll…there goes my leader…" It watched Meowth continue to storm away, a hint of remorse playing across its face. Squirtle turned back to Haruki, holding out the bandana towards him. "Here…" Haruki turned his nose away from it.

"No way, I'm not gonna be leader…! Besides, I already told ya…blue's not my color!"

Squirtle was surprised, "But the team needs a leader! And no one's ever made Meowth so mad before…you'd be a great leader!"

"Uh…" Haruki looked at Squirtle, a little perplexed. "Isn't the job of the leader…oh, I don't know…keeping the team together?"

Squirtle laughed awkwardly, scratching its head, "Well, yeah…" It stopped, looking at Haruki with shimmering eyes, "But I'm sure you'd make a great leader! You have the right stuff! You're strong, and brave…sure, you have a bit of a temper, but as long as you keep a level head that anger can be turned into great power!"

Haruki waved a hand, knowing he was being buttered up, "Naw, too much responsibility." He walked a little ways, his fingers locked behind his head. "By the way, my name's not Charmander. It's Haruki." Squirtle cocked its head, following behind Haruki.

"That's a funny name…"

"Well, what's yours?" Haruki looked over at Squirtle, pretending to look offended.

"Squirtle." It replied happily. Haruki smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Creative and so unique."

"Thanks!"

Haruki looked at Squirtle, "Sarcasm is a foreign language to you, isn't it? Aren't you supposed to be on a mission now anyways...?"

"Well, I would, but I'm sure that someone has already gotten there before us. And I would like a nickname other than Junior. That's what Meowth called me."

Haruki thought hard. "Mmm….how about Rin?"

"Rin…" Squirtle said slowly, seeing how it felt across its lips. It smiled and said happily, "I like it!"

"Why, because it's only one vowel away from 'run'?"

"No, because it sounds a whole lot better than Junior…" Squirtle, now Rin, looked at Haruki. "Hey, you have anywhere to stay?" Haruki stopped in his tracks; he hadn't thought about where he was going to sleep. Between his transformation and the fight with Meowth, it had never crossed his mind.

"Err….no." He replied sheepishly, scratching his head. "I'm kinda new around here…so…"

Rin smiled, "Don't worry; you can stay at our base…!"

"Really…?"

"Sure, and now that Meowth's gone maybe I can get some sleep! He snored worse than a Nosepass. I can hear him all the way to the lake!" Rin began walking towards an arrow shaped sign, pointing at it. "This is the way towards the village. Our base is just outside it."

They walked for what seemed like forever, finally coming to the edge of the forest. Now, Haruki could see a fence on either side of the trail, and up ahead was what appeared to be a dome-shaped hut. "Is that it…?" he said with a mixture of disappointment and irritancy.

"Yeah," said Rin. "What did you expect?"

"To tell you the truth, I thought a rescue team base would be…bigger…and less…uh…hutty."

"It may look small, but it's roomy inside. Come on…!" Rin began to run towards the base, eager to show Haruki.

"Hey, wait up!" Haruki shouted after him, running close behind. Rin ran over to a pole that Haruki didn't notice before. Haruki looked up and saw a blue flag billowing in the slight breeze; the flag had a picture of a Meowth head. He looked back down to see Rin lowering the flag, taking it off the line and folding it, laying it on the ground. Haruki's nose twitched and he sneezed, blowing flames all over the flag and setting it on fire. "Uh oh!"

"Water Gun!" Rin shouted and a jet of water shot out of his mouth, putting out the flames. The flag was now completely charred and the face of Meowth, to Haruki's delight, was now burned beyond recognition. "Well, at least now I have an excuse to put up a new flag."

Haruki laughed, embarrassed as a thin stream of smoke issued from his mouth, "Sorry…" He looked at the hut, and realized that most of it appeared to be made of stones. At least he wouldn't have to worry about burning down the base.

"I'll show you the inside…" Rin said as he noticed Haruki looking at the hut. He opened the door and went inside, Haruki following him. Rin was right. Unlike the outside, the inside was very roomy. The Squirtle pointed over to a red cushion on top of a bed of straw in front of a makeshift fireplace. "That's where Meowth slept, so it can be your bed now…"

Haruki looked around the base looking for another bed, "Where do you sleep…?"

"Oh, I don't sleep here…" He pointed out the window. "I sleep at the lake just beyond those trees." It was starting to get dark outside, and as Haruki looked out the hole that was supposed to be a window he realized how tired he actually was. It had been a tiring day; this morning he was excited about becoming a pokémon trainer, this afternoon he woke up to the fact that he had turned into a pokémon and had gotten into a fight with a Meowth…he just wanted to go to bed.

As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, Haruki wandered over lazily to the bed, curling up on the cushion. It was very comfy, and the sounds of the forest lulled him to sleep...but all too suddenly, he was awoken by the excited gasp of Rin.

"Haruki," he whispered frantically, "Haruki! Look! Look!" Rin was pointing out the window. Haruki rolled off of the cushion reluctantly, dragging his feet over to the window and looking where Rin was pointing. He gasped. It was a shooting star. "Make a wish!" Rin whispered, closing his eyes and mumbling, "I wish for an exciting adventure with my new friend, Haruki."

Haruki closed his eyes and began to think hard, after all, a wish made on a shooting star often came true. He mumbled, "I wish I knew why I'm a pokémon…what my purpose is…" He opened his eyes and looked up, the star flitting away in the black sky. After a few minutes of staring up at the sky, Rin said goodbye and promised that he'd return in the morning. Haruki, now alone, walked back over to his cushion, curling back up on it. As darkness fell across his eyes, his wish echoed through his mind. "I wish I knew why I'm a pokémon…what my purpose is…" There was a question too. "Why am I here…?"

Suddenly, the earth shook as Haruki continued to sleep and a loud explosion is heard, followed by a bright flash of light. He never woke up, but he could hear the screams of the pokémon in the forest…he could hear the scream of Rin calling for him. He wouldn't wake up…he couldn't. After a moment, everything went silent, and he could sense someone else inside his mind…and he heard a voice, but it wasn't his. "Help me…someone…anyone…"

"………..help?"

"Help me, please…help me find…who I am…what I am…someone…please…" the voice whimpered, echoing through the darkness. It sounded like it was crying.

"I'll…help…" Haruki whispered his reply as he slept, twitching slightly.

"Help me…help…me…" The voice trailed away into the recesses of his mind and Haruki awoke the next morning, the memory of the voice still lingering in his mind. He reached over and tore a big piece of cloth from the cushion, the fluff spilling out onto the straw. After folding it into a triangular shape, he tied it securely around his neck.

"That's more like it. Now…" he looked out the door, "to find that voice that needs my help…"


	3. Chapter 3

"That's more like it. Now…" he looked out the door, "to find that voice that needs my help…"

Haruki heard a knock at the door and Rin burst in, out of breath. "H-Haruki…! C…Come quick…!"

Surprised, he replied, "What's wrong, Rin?" Haruki rushed over to the pokémon. Rin grabbed his arm and shook him.

"T…There's a pokémon…needs our help…!" He began pulling him towards the door frantically.

"Hey, what's the rush?!" Haruki asked in protest as he was pulled, closing the door behind him as he left the base. Why was Rin rushing him? All he wanted to do was find out who the voice belonged to…and why they needed his help. "Where are we going…?"

Rin pointed towards the forest, "Something fell from the sky…a pokémon could be hurt! We have to help…!"

"So, you don't know for sure if a pokémon needs help…?!" Haruki shouted as he tried to pull out of Rin's grip. As far as he was concerned, if Rin didn't know for sure if a pokémon was in trouble, he wasn't going to go.

"Haruki! There's no time! We have to go…! The other teams could already be on their way!" Suddenly, a Jumpluff floated above the trees of the forest, waving its arms wildly.

"Help! Help!" It shouted as it spotted Haruki and Rin. Floating over in their direction, the slight breeze died and it landed in front of them. "Oh, thank goodness! I was afraid I would never stop floating…!"

"Uh…I thought Jumpluff loved to float in the wind…" Haruki said skeptically.

"Not when they see a pokémon in trouble!" It replied heatedly.

"Ha! I told you!" Rin said smugly. Haruki rolled his eyes and sighed.

"So…which pokémon needs our help? A Caterpie? Pikachu?"

Jumpluff shrugged. "That's just it…I don't know!"

"Were you flying too high to tell?" asked Rin.

"No, I was flying low enough…but…I've never seen a pokémon like that before…"

Rin and Haruki looked at each other. Haruki then looked at the Jumpluff and asked, "Can you describe what it looked like…?"

Jumpluff nodded, "Yes." It picked up a small branch nearby and began to draw in the dirt. "It had a long tail, like this, and had pointed ears, like this...oh, and this is what I thought was strange…" It then drew a line from the back of the head to the middle of the upper back. "It also appeared to be purple colored, if that's any help."

"What the…?" began Rin as he pulled out his pokémon species book from his pack, flipping through the pages.

"What the heck is that?! Are you sure that's right?" asked Haruki, looking closely at the crude drawing. "I've memorized a lot of pokémon species and types, but I've never seen anything like that…!" He tilted his head, trying to get a better angle.

"There's nothing in here even close to that!" announced Rin, stowing away the book back into his pack.

"I just drew you what I saw!" Jumpluff replied, irritated.

"Then, where is it? We'll find it and have a look for ourselves…" said Haruki. At that moment, the breeze picked back up, carrying Jumpluff high beyond Haruki and Rin's reach. It turned and pointed towards the forest, "Deep in the forest, in the clearing…!" Jumpluff's voice grew fainter as it drifted upwards, away from them.

Haruki sat down on the ground and crossed his arms, rolling his eyes, "What a nut ball! Does that Jumpluff really know what it saw…?"

"Well, Jumpluff drift on the breeze. They're usually the first ones to notify anyone if there's a pokémon in trouble, because they can see what's happening below them…"

"Then, how do you explain this…?" Haruki pointed to the drawing in the dirt.

Rin examined the drawing, his face literally an inch from the dirt, "It appears to have the characteristics of Mew…but with drastic alterations." He pointed to the shoulders, "The shoulders seem to be more Abra-like, and that thing…" he pointed to the curved line between the head and shoulders, "I have no idea. Basically, it looks like a warped version of at least three pokémon put together!" Rin sat back, sighing heavily.

Haruki stared up at the sky, thinking again of the voice he had heard in his dreams, and then he heard it again. "Help me…!"

"Hey, did you hear that?" asked Haruki, turning to Rin quickly.

"Hear what?" Rin replied, looking confused.

"Come on!" Haruki stood up and began running into the forest.

"Wait, Haruki!" Rin yelled, stumbling to his feet and chasing after him. He chased Haruki deep into the forest, the sky above becoming less visible as they ran farther and farther.

"Help me…!" The voice was growing louder inside of Haruki's head.

"I'm on my way!" He called ahead of him, not knowing if the unknown pokémon could hear him.

"Over…here…!"

They were drawing nearer to the clearing Jumpluff had mentioned. The trees were growing thinner and as soon as he had finally reached the clearing Haruki stopped abruptly. He had almost fallen into a deep crater where the clearing once had been. "Woah!" Haruki took a step back and let out a sigh of relief. "Whew, that was close…" He gasped as he looked into the crater…there was something down there. As Haruki leaned a little over the edge to get a better look, Rin, who had no hint of the upcoming crater, ran into the back of Haruki as he tried to stop. Haruki and Rin were sent tumbling into the mouth of the crater, rolling down the side. "Ahhh!"

"Ahhh!"

They finally came to a stop at the bottom, Haruki landing on his stomach and Rin landing on Haruki. "Hey…Rin…?!"

"Y-Yeah…?" asked Rin dizzily.

"GET OFF OF ME!!!" Haruki shouted. Rin rolled off of Haruki quickly, embarrassed.

"Sorry…" He looked over at the center of the crater. "What the-?"

"Help…me…please…over there…" Haruki looked over to where Rin was looking, and he saw something curled up in the dirt. He now knew who the voice belonged to or at least, what it belonged to. As he approached, Haruki realized that Jumpluff's drawing was actually correct. Whatever it was, it did have a long tail, and as Haruki drew closer to it, he could see the other features that had been described to him earlier.

"H-Hello…?" He asked shakily. "A-Are you…was it you who…needs help…?" Haruki had never seen a pokémon like this. From the looks of it, it was slightly smaller than he was…was the pokémon a baby?

The pokémon opened its eyes and looked up at Haruki. They were a deep violet color and suddenly began to glisten with tears. "Help…me…" A tear rolled down its cheek slowly as it sat up. It raised a three fingered hand towards Haruki, and Haruki felt himself being lifted into the air slowly.

"Haruki!" Rin shouted, standing under him.

"I…need…" the pokémon whispered, but its lips didn't move. Haruki realized suddenly why as he was pulled closer to it…it was psychic, "help…" He was slowly brought back down to the earth and now he stood next to the small pokémon.

"I get that," Haruki said as he extended his hand to it. "Tell me…why do you need help?"

The pokémon looked from Haruki's face to his hand and then back. It blinked and said only one word. "Past…"

"Did it just say past…?" asked Rin, hurrying over.

"Yeah." replied Haruki.

"Must…get…to…past…" The pokémon's last word was barely a whisper as it fell back onto the dirt, unconscious.

Rin began to panic as he rummaged in his pack for his Berry Pouch. "Whatever it is…it needs medical attention, and now!"

Haruki scooped the little pokémon up into his arms, but then decided that it would be better if he carried it on his back. "Come on, we'll take it back to the base until we can figure out what to do…" He set the pokémon down and then hoisted, with Rin's help, it onto his back.

Rin nodded. "Right." They began to walk up the side of the crater. After a while of sliding back down on the dirt, they found some foot holds and rocks and finally made it out. They were now walking down the path into the forest.

"What pokémon do you think it is, Haruki…?" whispered Rin, looking at the strange pokémon.

"Beats me," puffed Haruki, adjusting its body slightly, holding onto its thin arms. "We'll ask it when it wakes up…" The trio was now in the middle of the forest. Haruki's legs were beginning to give out…he needed to rest. "Hey, let's take a break…" He set the unconscious pokémon against a tree, sitting next to it and closing his eyes.

Rin set down his pack and rummaged in it again, pulling out the Pouch he had been searching for earlier. "Here…" he handed Haruki a round blue berry.

"Thanks," said Haruki, popping the berry into his mouth. As soon as he swallowed the berry, he began to feel his fatigue slip away.

"Do you think we can get it back to the base now?" Rin asked as he too popped a berry into his mouth.

"What do you mean 'we'?" asked Haruki, rubbing one of his shoulders. "I'm the one doing the carrying…!"

"Well, do you want me to carry it for a while?" he asked, gesturing to the pokémon.

Haruki waved the question away with a hand, "Naw, let's just go while I have the energy." He stood back up and lifted the pokémon back onto his back, walking down the trail with Rin close behind. As he walked, Haruki thought about the last thing the strange pokémon had said before becoming unconscious. What did it mean, 'Must get to past...'? Past what? Was past a place…or a time? "Hey, Rin?"

"Yes, Haruki?" replied Rin, running up to walk beside Haruki.

"Is there anyplace around here named Past?"

Rin thought for a moment. "No, I think so…why?"

"Then…it must be…" he said quietly, not really talking to Rin, but more to himself. Before he knew it, they were out of the forest. Haruki kept walking, lost in his thoughts, not aware that he was in front of the base door…and he ran smack into it. "Ow!" He shook his head and opened the door as Rin stifled a laugh; Haruki walked inside and Rin shut the door behind them once he entered too. Haruki set the pokémon on his cushion and watched it for a moment before turning to Rin. "Hey, do you have a berry that can wake a pokémon up?"

"Oh, yeah." Rin pulled out his Pouch and picked out a blue berry shaped like an acorn. "You'll need to crush it first though…it's very hard." He handed the berry to Haruki. Haruki looked around and saw a small stone table with a couple of rocks on top of it. He walked over to it and set the berry on the table, picking up a rock. Then, he began to pound the berry in a barrage of attacks with the rock, but the thick tough skin still held. After many minutes of pounding, Haruki saw a crack in the skin. He continued until the skin finally gave way and the berry split in half, exposing the soft pulp beneath. Haruki peeled off the skin and carried the now soft berry over to the sleeping pokémon.

"Can you help me feed the berry to it, Rin?" he asked, kneeling beside the pokémon.

"Sure," replied Rin, hurrying over. "What do you need me to do?"

"Hold its mouth open," said Haruki, "so I feed him the berry." Rin nodded in acknowledgement and set beside the pokémon. He placed his hands on the little pokémon's face and slowly pushed down on its jaw, opening the small mouth. Haruki then quickly put the pieces into its mouth and pushed up on its jaw, and he began to move it around; this, he assumed, would at least break up the berry more so that the pokémon wouldn't choke on it. He tilted the little pokémon's head and he heard a small gulp as the pokémon swallowed the berry. After a moment, the pokémon opened its eyes slowly and looked up at Haruki and Rin. "Hey, there, little guy."

"Hi." Said Rin. "You sure gave us a scare back in the forest…you okay?"

The pokémon nodded, looking around the base with its large purple eyes, "Where…am I?"

"This is our base," replied Rin. "We couldn't leave you in that crater, so Haruki suggested that we bring you here." The pokémon looked from Rin to Haruki.

"W…When…am I?"

Haruki and Rin looked at each other. "What do you mean?" asked Haruki, perplexed.

"Is this…the future?" it asked quietly, continuing to gaze at Haruki.

"The future…?" repeated Rin.

Haruki nodded, meeting its gaze. "Yeah…are you from the past?"

The pokémon nodded. "I…think so."

"No way!" gasped Rin. "A-Are you from the ancient past or something?!"

It shook its head. "No. I don't know…exactly."

Haruki shrugged, "I don't think so. He doesn't look ancient to me. Anyways, how did you get here…to this time?"

"A green pokémon…came to me in my dream…" It pointed to its back. "It had…things on its back…that made it fly…" It then held out its arm at its shoulder height. "…and it was this big." The pokémon covered its eyes. "It had big black marks here…" Haruki tried to think hard about the pokémon described to him, and he jumped when Rin shouted,

"Celebi!"

"Celebi?" replied the pokémon, tilting its head.

"Of course!" said Haruki, clapping his hands together. "Celebi can travel through time! That explains a lot!"

"Yeah," said Rin, suddenly looking solemn, "but that doesn't explain why Celebi brought it through to this time…"

"Oh…" sighed Haruki. He looked at the pokémon again, surprised to see it still staring at him. "What kind of pokémon are you anyway?" Haruki knew that it sounded like a rude thing to say, but he just had to know.

"Mmm?" replied the pokémon, again, tilting its head.

"What pokémon are you? I've never seen anything like you, and you're not listed in any of the pokémon books…" The pokémon straightened its head and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Haruki thought that the little pokémon didn't hear him.

"Hey, I said-"

"Mew…two…" It said quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mew…two…" It said quietly.

"Sorry…?" said Haruki, thinking that he didn't hear the pokémon correctly. The pokémon looked at him.

"Mewtwo…"

"Mewtwo…?" asked Rin, whipping out his pokémon species book.

"Hmm…" Haruki scratched his head. He sighed after a while as Rin flipped through the book and shook his head in frustration. "Don't bother, Rin. It's not in there…"

"But-"

"It must be a new pokémon…undiscovered. Yeah…that's the only reason…" said Haruki, his eyes shut as he nodded his head.

The Mewtwo looked around the base as Haruki spoke, taking in the surroundings. Rin looked at Haruki. "Should you give him one of your human nicknames?"

"What…? Oh, yeah…sure." Haruki thought for a moment. "What would be a good name for it…wait…" He looked to Mewtwo. "Are you a boy or a girl?"

Mewtwo looked at Haruki and shrugged.

"Uh…you…don't know…?" Haruki asked, shocked. "Well…uh…we'll just say that you're a boy…" He searched for a name that would suit the new pokémon. "How about…Hoshi?"

"Hoshi…?" Said the Mewtwo slowly, tilting his head.

"Yeah, I like that." Rin said happily.

"Uh, Rin…?" Haruki mumbled, eyeing the Squirtle.

"Hmm?"

"It's not your name to decide!" he said, smacking Rin over the head.

"…I…like it too."

Haruki and Rin looked at the pokémon, stunned. He was smiling.

"Hoshi…I like it."

"Okay then," said Haruki. "Hoshi it is! My name's Haruki and this is Rin." He stared at Hoshi for a moment before asking, "Hey, what's your favorite color?"

Hoshi stared back at Haruki, thinking. "Red…"

"Cool!" said Haruki happily. "That's my favorite color too! I like it because it reminds me of fire, and how it can be really powerful. Why do you like it?"

"…blood."

"What?"

"…reminds me of…blood." Hoshi whispered, staring with half closed eyes at the ground. Haruki looked into the pokémon's eyes. There, in that one instant, he saw what appeared to be a touch of malice…and a hint of bloodlust. It made a chill run up his spine…and he hoped that he had only just been seeing things. Then again, maybe he did see it…

"Why bl-?" began Rin, but Haruki put his hand over Rin's mouth, muffling his question.

"Uh, just ignore him," he laughed nervously. "Sometimes he doesn't ask any good questions." Haruki could feel it in his gut that the last thing he wanted to know was why Hoshi associated the color red with blood.

"Oh…okay!" said Hoshi, smiling again, the look no longer in his eyes. He stood up and jumped off the bed and began to explore around the small base.

Rin removed Haruki's hand. "What'd ya do that for?"

Haruki whispered, "I just…don't want to know…"

"Well, what if I do?" Rin whispered back.

"Trust me," he replied back, watching Hoshi play with the rocks on the table. "I don't think we want to…" Rin looked at Haruki, and after seeing the look on his face the Squirtle nodded and watched Hoshi also.

"Should…should we make him part of the team?" he asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Would it be a good decision…a good thing to do?"

Haruki shook his head, "We need to wait and see…but…I wish there was someone…someone who could tell us what we should do. We need someone…who can see into the past…or into the future…to tell us of the consequences of either letting him join…or not…"

Rin thought for a moment, "Well…there is someone like you described…"

Haruki looked at Rin, "Who?"

"Xatu…"

Haruki stood up, helping Rin to his feet. "Then, let's go see him! Where does he live?"

Rin pointed out the window, "Up high on the mountain. We had better stock up on supplies before we go, though. It's at least a half a day's hike up the side, and with the earthquake from last night…there's no telling what's happened to the landscape up there."

Haruki nodded, "Right, let's get everything we need first."

Hoshi watched Rin as he packed fresh berries into the pouch and asked about each one…what it was for, why it was the color that it was, and what it tasted like. His inquiries held up the packing longer than it probably would have if he had just kept quiet. Finally, after about an hour, the trio was ready to hike up the mountain.

A couple of hours later, Haruki was out of breath. They weren't very far up the mountain, and he grew dizzy every time he looked forward at how far they had to go. Rin, who had probably done a lot of hiking, had plenty of energy and was encouraging Haruki and Hoshi to keep up. Hoshi also had a lot of energy, but he would stop every couple of feet to ask what some of the plants were or what tracks belonged to which pokémon…and Haruki let out a loud groan when Hoshi began asking about how many species of rocks there were in the world.

"Rocks don't have species!" Haruki moaned, continuing to trudge up the mountainside.

"But…there are so many different kinds!" said Hoshi excitedly. "There are grey ones and black ones and brown ones, and some that have pretty shiny things on them! Are those girl rocks?"

Rin laughed, "No, Hoshi those are-"

Haruki threw up his hands in irritation and annoyance at the many questions, "Yes! They are girl rocks! Can we please keep moving?!" Hoshi pouted and walked faster past Haruki, catching up to Rin and leaving Haruki to lumber behind.

A couple of hours later and three rest stops later they were halfway up the mountain.

"A-Are you s-sure this is t-the only w-w-way t-to get to X-Xatu, R-Rin...?" Haruki asked shakily as he tried hard to keep his balance while carrying a scared Hoshi. Rin had been taking them along the trail that was most commonly used to reach Xatu before realizing a deep gorge had been made by the recent earthquake. Someone else must have noticed this before them, because they had laid a tree across the large gap; at seeing how deep the gorge was, Hoshi became rigid and had refused to cross it. Haruki, eager to reach Xatu as quickly as possible, offered to carry the scared pokémon across the tree.

Now, he was wishing he had just kicked the little cry-baby across; Hoshi was shivering so violently that it was hard for Haruki to keep his balance. "Cut it out, Hoshi! You're gonna make us fall!" This, of course, didn't help Hoshi hold still.

"Yeah, t-this is the only w-way..." Rin stuttered as he followed behind Haruki. He hated heights, and Meowth knew ways of avoiding high places to keep Rin calm and his head on the mission. He kept telling himself not to look down, but his eyes just seemed to be drawn to anywhere than in front of him. As soon as he glanced at the scenery below, he saw how high they actually were and dropped to all fours. "Man, I reeeally hate heights...!"" Rin made his way slowly across the tree, clinging to the rough bark tightly.

After a few minutes, the trio made it safely across the tree and rested in the shade for a while before continuing. "Here," said Rin, opening his pack and pulling out two bottles of water.

"Finally!" groaned Haruki, grabbing the bottle gratefully. Hoshi took his bottle and stared at it. Haruki looked the pokémon as he opened his own bottle. "You need help?" He watched as the cap on Hoshi's bottle began to twist itself slowly off, floating in midair as Hoshi drank heavily from the bottle.

"Woah!" exclaimed Rin. "You really are a psychic pokémon!"

Haruki watched the cap as he drank his water, being careful not to slosh any on himself as he drank. He wished that he had been turned into a different type of pokémon…he wished he was any type except a fire type; fire types always have to be careful of anything that involved water. The last thing Haruki wanted to do right now was to inflict damage on himself by spilling his bottled water all over him.

Hoshi finished his water and the cap twisted itself back onto the opening, and he handed the empty bottle back to Rin. Haruki soon finished his water and handed it back to Rin. "Thanks, Rin." Haruki said, standing up and stretching. "How far are we from reaching Xatu?"

Rin stood up, patting off the dirt from his pack. "Not long now as long as nothing else has changed…" He looked at Hoshi, who was still sitting on the ground and staring up at the tree limbs above. "Hoshi…?"

"……"

Haruki looked up at where Hoshi was staring; he could see a nest. A Pidgeotto and a Pidgeot were beside the nest, and Haruki could just barely see three little Pidgey poking there heads up for food. "Mama, Mama! Papa, Papa!" they said excitedly. He turned his vision back to Hoshi, who continued to stare at them, a pondering expression playing along the little pokémon's face.

"Haruki…?"

"Yeah, Hoshi…?"

"…do you…have a Mama and Papa…?"

Haruki nodded. "Yeah."

This time, Hoshi addressed Rin, "Rin…do you have a Mama and Papa…?

Rin nodded. "Yes, they live close to the ocean."

"Hmm…" Hoshi continued to stare up at the family above, watching the babies being fed.

"Do you," began Haruki, kneeling beside Hoshi, "miss your Mama and Papa…?"

Hoshi shook his head and whispered, "No…"

Rin sat beside the little pokémon, "But…you must miss them. Maybe a little…?" Again, Hoshi shook his head.

"Why not…?" asked Haruki.

"…because…I…don't have one…"

"One what? A Mama? Papa?"

"…a family…" Hoshi whispered. Haruki could see the hurt in Hoshi's eyes, but he could also see a hint of anger.

"Did…they die…?" he asked, beginning to feel sorry for the little pokémon.

"No…I…never had one…no Mama…no Papa…just me…" A tear rolled down Hoshi's cheek. "Only…me…"

Haruki patted him on the shoulder sympathetically. Hoshi looked at Haruki, wrapping his arms around him, beginning to cry on his shoulder.

"Poor little guy…" said Rin sadly, rubbing the pokémon's back gently. After a while, Hoshi cried himself to sleep. Haruki pulled the pokémon onto his back.

"Let's go, maybe things will go a little faster now that he's asleep…"

Rin walked beside Haruki as the continued up the mountain. After half an hour they still hadn't spoken since the moment under the tree, but Rin finally broke the silence,

"Do you…think that…you know…?"

"…Know what…?"

"That it's true? That he has no…family?"

Haruki didn't respond, continuing to stare forward as he trudged along. Rin sighed and shook his head.

"I couldn't imagine life without my Ma and Pa…I bet it would be awful not to have a family. There's no one to take care of you…keep you warm when your cold…be there when you need help…love you when you need it…"

Haruki shifted Hoshi a little, holding onto his arms. "…It must be hard for him. Maybe…maybe Xatu can help us with that too. Tell us…why he doesn't have a family…"

The trees began to thin and Haruki could see the top, and he estimated that they would probably make it before sundown. They continued, not resting until they were a few feet from level ground. Hoshi continued to sleep as Haruki and Rin finally set foot at the top of the mountain. As he looked around, Haruki could see everything in the distance: the forest, the base, and even the village. "Wow…" He then saw a tall figure facing in the direction of the sun, staring over the horizon.

Haruki and Rin approached the figure slowly. "Excuse me, Xatu…" Rin said to the pokémon, speaking kind of quietly. "We've come to see you about-"

"I know why you've come…" Xatu said ominously.

"You do…?" asked Haruki.

"You have come…to learn of the one you call Hoshi…"

Haruki and Rin nodded in unison.

"You seek the knowledge of the past…and a glimpse into the future."

Again, they nodded.

"I am afraid," began Xatu, not looking at either of the pokémon, "that I cannot reveal to you the past of the one you call Hoshi. For, even I, cannot bear the knowledge I possess of the pokémon you carry with you…it is…far too heartless for you to grasp…the harshness of the truth…too great a burden to place upon ones so young in life…"

"We can handle it," said Haruki confidently, setting down Hoshi on the ground.

"You, Haruki…" said Xatu softly. "You are…not a normal pokémon."

"H-How did you know that…? How do you know my name?" asked Haruki shocked.

"I have seen your past and I have glimpsed your future. You are…a human. A human selected by the great forces that dominate this world…" Xatu raised a wing, gesturing to the sleeping Hoshi, "to help the pokémon called Hoshi…" Haruki and Rin were silent, but Xatu must have been reading their thoughts. "You are aware…of his lack of a family…lack of…love…" The two nodded. "This…will be the downfall of the entire world…"

"The downfall…?" began Haruki.

"Of the entire world…?" finished Rin.

Xatu nodded, "If he does not know love…then the entire world will pay the price…"

"How can we get him to know love…?"

"That," said Xatu, "is what you must learn on your own. Celebi had paid a visit to me not too long ago, and asked me of the future…and she told me of the growing darkness emanating from deep within a pokémon… "

"Celebi?!" shouted Haruki and Rin, surprised.

"I told her of the great destruction that would befall us all…of a great and terrifying power that would devastate everything in its path…"

"And you," began Haruki, looking back at the sleeping pokémon, "think that that power…the power that would destroy everything…is Hoshi?"

Xatu continued on, "I foretold of a being of unnatural birth…that would escape its prison and reek havoc across this world…searching for the one thing it has not…and never once stopping until everything…and everyone…exists no more."

"So…Celebi thought…thought…"

"Celebi knew where the darkness was originating, and took a voyage to the future…the destruction she saw…it was unbearable…like nothing she had ever seen…and she wanted a way to put a stop to it…before it had a chance to begin…"

"But…that doesn't explain why Hoshi is here." Said Haruki as Rin took a few nervous steps away from Hoshi's sleeping form.

"She went into the past…searching for the future destroyer of our world…but…it was difficult…for the darkness that she had come to stop had not yet begun to thrive…had not yet revealed itself…in the heart of the Destroyer…so…"

"You mean," interrupted Haruki, "that she didn't know for sure if Hoshi's the one-?"

"She searched through the dreams of pokémon," continued Xatu, cutting Haruki's question short, "…hoping that there would be some clue as to where the Destroyer lay dormant…and…she found him…just as the seed of hatred…of pain and desolation…implanted itself into the young heart…"

Haruki and Rin remained silent, and Hoshi stirred, writhing from a nightmare.

"Darkness had already begun to form inside…grasping the young one tightly in its grip…multiplying the already powerful pokémon's abilities…and twisting his dreams…infecting them with images that made him fall into despair…and hopelessness…making him believe that to get what he wanted…what he needed…he had to destroy…until he found it…"

Hoshi kicked at the dirt, whimpering, his heart beating faster and faster with each passing second. His breathing quickened, his small fingers grasping at the dirt as rocks, large and small began to levitate around him, unknowingly to Haruki and Rin.

"Unless he has gained what he is searching for…we shall all suffer…and the suffering will not stop at only our world…" The rocks began to levitate towards the three pokémon, picking up speed, "but…for the entire universe as well…"


	5. Chapter 5

"Unless he has gained what he is searching for…we shall all suffer…and the suffering will not stop at only our world…" The rocks began to levitate towards the three pokémon, picking up speed, "but…for the entire universe as well…"

Suddenly, Xatu was gone. Haruki and Rin stared at where Xatu had been. "Where-" began Rin, but a small rock zoomed past his head.

"Get down!" shouted Haruki, falling onto the ground as a bigger rock grazed his shoulder. He looked over and saw Rin drop to the ground also, and then he looked up and saw even bigger rocks throw themselves over his head.

"Haruki, look!" Rin shouted, covering his head with one hand and the other pointing behind him. Haruki turned his head in the direction Rin was pointing…he could see Hoshi writhing in the dirt, whimpering and crying.

"Hoshi!" he shouted, but Hoshi didn't hear him and he didn't wake up. Now, a huge boulder began to levitate skyward slowly. Rin watched the boulder, shivering from fear. Haruki began to crawl over to Hoshi as the rocks began to aim themselves at him; Rin retreated into his shell as he was pelted with rocks. "Hoshi!" he kept calling over and over, slowly making his way through the rainstorm of rocks. After what seemed like forever, Haruki finally made it to Hoshi, shaking him, "Hoshi! HOSHI! WAKE UP!!"

Suddenly, the rocks dropped to the ground; the boulder dropped also, the ground beneath them shaking slightly as it hit. Hoshi opened his eyes, breathing heavily as he stared up at Haruki. "H…Haruki…?" Haruki nodded, helping the pokémon sit up. He reached behind his head and undid his bandana, holding it to Hoshi's face and wiping his tears.

"There, there…it was only a bad dream…" he said quietly, remembering what Xatu had said.

"A bad dream?!" Rin shouted, coming out of his shell finally, a large lump visible on his head. "He almost k-" He stopped as soon as he saw the look on Haruki's face.

Hoshi rubbed his eyes and looked at Haruki. Haruki smiled at the little pokémon, "Come on, let's get you back to the base…you can stay with me." Hoshi looked shocked. "It's okay. It was getting kind of lonely there anyway. We can make you a bed and get you all situated, so you don't need to worry." He tied his bandana back around his neck and stood up. Hoshi stood up also, walking over to Rin to help him up, but as soon as he approached Rin, Rin began to back away quickly.

"No! No, I can get up on my own…!" He said nervously, standing up shakily. Hoshi stared at Rin, his eyes seeing the bump on Rin's head. "How…did you get that?" He raised a hand to point at the wound, and Rin dove to the ground, covering his head.

"Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!" he shouted, his eyes tightly shut as he braced for an impact. Hoshi stopped moving and he let out a small whimper as he watched Rin shake with fear. He turned his gaze to the ground and began to walk away from Rin, dragging his tail.

"Hoshi…?" said Haruki, holding out his hand towards Hoshi. The pokémon turned and looked at him, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks. "Where are you going? The base is the other way…" Hoshi shook his head and turned away from the hand.

"No one…wants me…! I…scare…everyone…" he whimpered and covered his face, running hard towards the forest, his crying still audible as he entered through the thick trees. Haruki turned on Rin, who was still cowering a few feet away.

"Why'd ya do that?! He was trying to help, but you treated him like he was some kind of-!"

"Haruki! He tried to kill us!" Rin shouted, standing up, fear still playing across his face. "Didn't you hear what Xatu said?!"

Haruki nodded, his anger growing. "Yeah, I heard him alright…Hoshi needs a family! He needs love! If we're going to save the world, we have to show him love…not FEAR!!!" With the last word, Haruki's flame erupted, smoke billowing from his mouth.

"B-But…" Rin began, backing away from Haruki slowly.

"If you want to abandon him, then fine! Leave him! But I won't! He needs our help just as much as any other pokémon! Even more than them! He doesn't know what it's like to have a family or know what love is! He knows what fear is…and that's what you were showing! Not love, but pure fear!"

"I-I…"

Haruki held up a hand, "No, don't bother. I'm gonna go find him…you can just stay here and cower all you want…" With that, he turned and ran into the forest to find Hoshi. Rin stayed glued to the spot, watching Haruki run into the forest, unable to speak. How did Haruki expect him to react to Hoshi…after hearing all that stuff that Xatu had said about him? Hoshi was the Destroyer! Hoshi was supposed to destroy the world! What was he supposed to do? Accept him with opens arms? He turned the opposite direction, towards the base and began walking.

"Hoshi!" Haruki called, pushing through the foliage. "Hoshi, where are you?!" He continued to trek through the forest, searching for any sign as to where Hoshi could be. It had been at least three hours since Hoshi ran into the forest. "Stupid Rin," he mumbled under his breath, kicking a small rock. "He shouldn't have acted like that to him…" He suddenly lost his footing and began to tumble down the mountainside, just barely dodging the trees whipping past. Haruki tried to stop his decent, but he couldn't grab a hold of anything fast enough as they zipped past him. All he could do was scream as he rolled out of the other side of the forest and drew nearer to a drop-off…and he realized that the drop-off was the gorge they had crossed earlier that day. He clawed at the passing scenery and he passed a dark shape, but suddenly, he was airborne. He could see the rest of the forest below him…everything seemed to be in slow motion as he fell, but a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed his, his body hitting hard against the side of the gorge. "Mmph!"

He looked up to see who had saved him, but he could hardly believe his eyes. It was Rin. Rin looked behind him, shouting, "He's over here, help me get him up!" Haruki then saw Hoshi's head poke over the side and he watched as Hoshi's eyes glowed. He could feel himself being lifted out of the gorge, hovering away from the edge and set down close to Rin and Hoshi. The Squirtle immediately began to rummage in his pack, pulling out the Berry Pouch and picking out a round blue berry. "Here." He said, handing the berry to Haruki.

Haruki took the berry and popped it into his mouth, "W-What? H-How?" He looked from Rin to Hoshi and back, unable to believe what he was seeing. After finishing chewing the berry, he swallowed and just continued to stare as Rin laughed.

"Well, I was on my way back to the base, but then…I remembered that I was part of a team." He looked at Hoshi. "That we were part of a team…and I realized how selfish I was being for only thinking about me and my thoughts. So I came back to the forest to help find Hoshi, but after an hour or so I bumped into him in a clearing. I explained to him that I was sorry and that it wasn't right, the way I had acted."

Hoshi nodded and looked at Haruki, "I forgave him."

Haruki said, "But how did you guys find me? I had to be farther than the clearing where you were…much farther."

Rin shrugged, "All I know is that I as soon as I told Hoshi that we had to find you, because you were still looking for him…we were standing at the edge of this gorge. I was asking Hoshi how we had gotten there, but he just ran off and said that he wanted to see if you were still in the forest, but then I saw you rolling down the hill."

Haruki looked at Hoshi now, "How did you know I would be rolling down the side of the hill…?" Hoshi looked away, not wanting to answer. "Come on, Hoshi. If you hadn't had know where I would be, I'd be at the bottom of that gorge as flat as a pancake!"

Hoshi sighed and looked back at Haruki, "I…saw it…in my head. As soon as I did…I wanted to be there…before you went over…" He pointed to where they had been standing moments before. "And there we were…"

"I think he saw the future," said Rin. "And I think that he also teleported us to the exact spot that we needed to be in."

Haruki nodded. It made sense…Hoshi saw what was going to happen, and had put him and Rin where they needed to be to stop him from rolling off the edge. "But…" continued Hoshi, "I…when we didn't see you…I thought…" Haruki knew exactly what they must have thought as he watched Hoshi's eyes tear up, they must have already gone over the edge. "…I ran into the forest…hoping that maybe you…hadn't made it yet…"

"You rolled past me so fast, that all I could do was to grab your hand as you went over…" said Rin, "If you hadn't been screaming like you were, then I probably wouldn't have noticed you in time to catch you."

"Well, thank you," Haruki said happily and he turned to Hoshi, "and thank you Hoshi…for without you, I would be nothing but a pancake right now." Hoshi made a sound that was between a sob and a laugh, and he leapt forward, throwing his arms around Haruki. Haruki laughed and patted the little pokémon, "Why the waterworks? Come on now…" He stood up, helping Hoshi to his feet. "Let's go back to the base…all this excitement has made me hungry." Rin nodded in agreement, and so did Hoshi. Stomachs rumbling, the trio made their way towards the base, only stopping once for a drink of water and a rest. As they made it out of the forest, they could see someone standing outside of their base…in fact, there were three someones. Rin, Haruki, and Hoshi kept walking, wondering who could be at their base. As soon as they were within earshot, they could hear what the strangers were saying.

"Are you sure, Alakazam?"

"I'm positive."

"I can feel it too-"

The three visitors turned as the team drew closer, eyeing them warily. Rin stopped in his tracks and stared back at them. Haruki noticed this and elbowed him as Hoshi took a step back, hiding behind Haruki. "Hey, Rin…do you know these guys?"

Rin nodded, "Yeah…that's Team Alakazam…"

Haruki elbowed him again, "Sooo….? Are they special or something?"

Again, Rin nodded, star struck with awe, "Their team…is Gold Rank."

"Woah…!" said Haruki, now in awe. He didn't know how the Ranks of teams were ordered, but he was sure that Gold Rank was pretty good. Hoshi make a squeaking sound and was now hiding completely behind Haruki. Haruki looked up and saw one of the pokémon walking to meet them. It was an Alakazam, and Haruki looked behind the approaching pokémon; he could see a Charizard and a Tyranitar.

"Where is," Alakazam said firmly, "Meowth?"

"Uh…erm…" Rin said nervously.

"He quit," replied Haruki.

Alakazam nodded, "We figured as much. And you are…?" He asked as he turned his head towards Haruki.

"Haruki," then, adding quickly at the look Alakazam gave him, "Sir." The other two walked up and stood behind Alakazam. Haruki looked up at them and began to grow nervous. He had seen pictures of these pokémon, but never would he have guessed that these pokémon, the very ones he read about…he never thought that they would be so huge. Sure, when you see the numbers on paper you try to imagine how tall they are compared to you. Charizard: 5' 7" and weighing at least 200 pounds. Tyranitar: 6' 7" and weighing as much as 445 pounds. And Alakazam: 4' 11" and weighing at 106 pounds. He thought that, in his human form, they might not look so big and intimidating, but he wasn't in his human form and when you're barely two feet tall…a lot of things look a whole lot bigger.

"Haruki…" Alakazam said slowly. "A human name, I suppose?" Haruki nodded. "…then part of my suspicion is correct."

"You mean," said Charizard, "he's really…a human?" Alakazam nodded. Haruki was speechless. These pokémon knew he was a human, but then he remembered that Alakazam was a psychic type…if he knew that Haruki wasn't really a pokémon, did he know of Hoshi's future…?

"As for the other part…" continued Alakazam as he scanned over the pokémon standing in front of him, "I can still sense it…"

"The aura…?" asked Tyranitar. Alakazam continued to stare at Haruki and Rin. Suddenly, he looked down and spotted Hoshi's tail laying across the ground.

"He's with them…" he said to the other two. "Seize them and keep them out of the way." Obeying, Charizard and Tyranitar walked around Alakazam, grabbing hold of Haruki and Rin.

"Hey!" shouted Haruki as he began to kick and flail when Charizard grabbed him.

"W-What's going on?!" yelled Rin, also fighting to get free of Tyranitar's grip. They turned and carried the two away from Hoshi, who stood rooted to the spot, visibly shivering. Haruki turned his head as far as he could towards Hoshi, shouting at the top of his lungs,

"RUN, HOSHI!"

Rin began shouting also, "HOSHI, GO!"

"WE'LL BE OKAY! LEAVE!! NOW!!!"

Hoshi's lip quivered as he watched them being carried away. Alakazam closed in on the terrified pokémon, raising his spoons as his eyes began to glow. Hoshi could feel his body binding up with an invisible force. "Help me!" he shouted, barely able to move as he was slowly lifted into the air.

"The Destroyer must be eliminated in order to protect this world…and as soon as possible. I don't know how you managed to reach this time…" Hoshi let out a scream as his body began to be squeezed tightly, "but that only makes you easier to take out of this world."

"Hoshi!" Rin and Haruki screamed in unison. Suddenly, Hoshi's eyes glowed a dark violet. The two captive pokémon could only watch at what was about to happen. Suddenly, the force holding Hoshi captive broke and Hoshi continued to float in midair, staring at Alakazam with pure hatred.

"Let…my…friends…GO!!!" Hoshi roared, a huge shockwave of energy emitting from his body. Alakazam backed up a few steps, ready to defend himself. Hoshi roared again and a bolt of dark energy lashed out at the pokémon, he raised his hand and Alakazam was encased in a cocoon of energy. Charizard and Tyranitar dropped Haruki and Rin, running forward to help Alakazam.

"Fire Blast!" roared Charizard.

"Rock Tomb!" bellowed Tyranitar.

Hoshi was engulfed in a ball of blazing fire and quickly encased in a rock prison. Haruki and Rin darted around the large pokémon and rushed forward immediately. "Water Gun!" yelled Rin, his attack having almost no effect on the rock or flames.

"Metal Claw!" screamed Haruki, his claws barely piecing the rock. They continued with unrelenting attacks, tears beginning to stream down their faces, crying out to Hoshi. Alakazam, Charizard, and Tyranitar watched the small pokémon with slight pity, but turned and left without a word, believing their job had been done. The two continued to attack the rock until finally, after many attacks, the flames died and the rock began to crumble. Haruki and Rin backed up for one final attack.

"Metal Claw!" Haruki roared, running at the rock tomb.

"Rapid Spin!" shouted Rin, also running at the rock, jumping and pulling into his shell, spinning towards the tomb. Their attacks hit the rock full force, shattering it completely into a pile of small rocks. Haruki and Rin began to dig in the pile, throwing rocks aside.

"Hoshi!" called Haruki.

"Where are you?!" cried Rin.

They continued digging until Haruki found one of Hoshi's hands…it wasn't moving. He and Rin dug faster, fearing the worst. Soon, they uncovered the rest of the little pokémon's body, holding him as he lay still. Tears began to run down their faces as they gazed upon Hoshi, but Haruki noticed something…there wasn't a scratch on the little pokémon's body. He wiped his eyes and looked closer, seeing Hoshi's chest rise and fall slowly. Haruki couldn't believe it, Hoshi was asleep! "Hoshi!" he cried happily, grabbing him in a tight hug. "You're alive! You're alive!"

Rin began laughing, hugging Hoshi also, "You're alive! You're really alive!"

Hoshi moaned softly, opening his eyes slightly, "Mmm…? Wha…what happened…?"

"Alakazam and his team hit you with a bunch of attacks and you kind of…uh…" said Haruki, scratching his head and laughing, "fell asleep…"

Rin nodded, "Yeah, but before that you sure gave Alakazam a scare with those attacks of yours…"

"…Attacks?" asked Hoshi, tilting his head, confused.

"Yeah, you hit 'em with this cool dark lightning attack! It was so cool!"

Haruki nodded, "Why didn't you tell us that you knew attacks like that, Hoshi?"

Hoshi continued to look confused, "But…I don't know…attacks like that…I don't even remember using any attacks…"

Haruki and Rin looked at each other, then Haruki spoke again, "Well…uh…anyways, let's get you inside. The last thing we need is for those guys to come back and realize they didn't finish the job." They stood up and helped Hoshi to his feet, but Haruki noticed Hoshi staring at him. "What's wrong, Hoshi?" Hoshi lifted a hand and brushed it against Haruki's cheek, pulling it back and staring at something glimmering on his finger.

"…tears…" Hoshi whispered, looking back at Haruki who was now wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Were…you sad?"

Haruki nodded.

"Why…?"

Haruki smiled, "'Cause I was worried about you! You gave me a good scare when you didn't answer when you were buried under all those rocks…" He patted Hoshi's head. "Don't do that again."

Rin walked over and opened the door, "Come on, guys! I got some apples in here we can eat!"

"Coming!" shouted Haruki as Rin when inside the base. "Come on, Hoshi." He grabbed the pokémon's hand gently and led him into the base.

After many apples and a few bottled waters later, Haruki patted his belly. "That was good." Rin nodded, also patting his own belly.

"Nothing hits the spot like a few crisp apples."

Hoshi, who had barely touched one apple, stared down at the table. Haruki noticed this and asked, "Something wrong, Hoshi?"

"………."

"Hoshi?"

The pokémon looked up suddenly, "Oh, sorry…"

"Something wrong?"

Hoshi shook his head, "No…"

Haruki thought for a moment. "Are you tired?"

Hoshi nodded. "And…it hurts…" he whimpered as he placed a hand slightly above his stomach.

Haruki looked at Rin, "Do you have anything in there for a stomach ache?" he said as he pointed at the pack on the floor, but Rin shook his head.

"No. All he needs for that is some water and a good rest."

Hoshi shook his head again, "No, not that…" he moved his hand higher until it was on his chest. "Here…"

"Your heart?" Haruki asked, beginning to look worried.

"It…it feels…" he whimpered, "Like something…something wants out…something…bad…" He let out a sob and clutched his chest. Hoshi's shoulders began to heave as he let out a cry of pain, and he fell backwards off his chair and onto the floor.

"Hoshi?!" Haruki shouted, pushing away from the table and knocking the chair over as he rushed to the little pokémon's side. "Are you okay?!"

Rin rushed over also, feeling of Hoshi's forehead and withdrawing it quickly, "He's burning up! We have to cool him down right now!!" Hoshi writhed on the ground, crying and clutching his chest.

"Get it out! Get it out!" he sobbed writhing more violently. Hoshi took off his bandana and handed it to Rin. Rin then used only a slight Water Gun attack on it and folded the damp cloth quickly and placed it on Hoshi's head. Tears began to slide down both Haruki and Rin's cheek as they watched Hoshi thrash around on the floor, until finally, one of each of their tears fell onto Hoshi's suffering body. Suddenly, Hoshi's back arched and he loud out a sharp scream as a large rush of black smoke issued from his open mouth, dissipating completely as Hoshi struggled to breathe.

"What was that?!" Haruki cried out, looking where the smoke had disappeared.

"I don't know, but whatever it was…it's not in Hoshi anymore." Rin said, looking at Hoshi's shivering form. The little pokémon's eyes were wide as he took deep ragged breaths, looking extremely pale. Haruki wiped his eyes and patted Hoshi's head gently, trying to calm him; Hoshi closed his eyes and his breathing began to slow, his body beginning to relax. "Let's put him to bed…" said Rin quietly.

Haruki picked up Hoshi in his arms and placed him on his bed in front of the fireplace. He watched as Hoshi lay still on the cushion, breathing softly. As he watched Hoshi sleep, he remembered what Xatu had said:

"…and…she found him…just as the seed of hatred…of pain and desolation…implanted itself into the young heart…" He continued to think as he walked over to the window, the first star of the night twinkling in the sky as he gazed out of it, "Darkness had already begun to form inside…grasping the young one tightly in its grip…multiplying the already powerful pokémon's abilities…and twisting his dreams…infecting them with images that made him fall into despair…and hopelessness…"

He looked back at Hoshi as Rin yawned, resting against the wall and closing his eyes after mumbling that he was going to spend the night at the base tonight. Was that smoke that came out of Hoshi…was that the darkness? If it was, why did it suddenly leave the little pokémon's body? It had obviously been feeding on his dreams and hopes…why did it leave? What could have happened that would force it to leave where it appeared to be firmly planted. Haruki yawned and stretched, walking over and laying beside the bed where Hoshi lay. Whatever it was, it was gone. He looked up and saw Hoshi sleeping peacefully, and he noticed a small smile play across the little pokémon's face…not one of malice, but a small warm smile. He yawned again and turned over onto his side. Hoshi could sleep soundly now, because there was nothing twisting his dreams and turning them into nightmares. Hoshi was safe.

"Good night, Rin…" Haruki said quietly. "Good night, Hoshi." He lay down his head and closed his eyes, fast asleep before his head even hit the floor.


	6. Chapter 6

"Good night, Rin…" Haruki said quietly. "Good night, Hoshi." He lay down his head and closed his eyes, fast asleep before his head even hit the floor.

The next day, the Haruki woke up to glimmering sunshine shining through the window to find that Rin was already awake and sitting at the table, but Hoshi was still fast asleep on the bed. Haruki sat up and stretched, yawning loudly.

"Good morning, Haruki!" said Rin happily, eating from a bowl of freshly picked berries. "Pretty exciting day, yesterday…"

Haruki nodded, standing up and straightening up his bandana before joining Rin at the table. "Yeah." He sat down and looked over at Hoshi, randomly picking out a berry from the bowl and taking a bite. "Poor little guy…I hope he feels better when he wakes up."

"Do you think he misses it?" Rin asked suddenly, cutting off the end of Haruki's sentence.

Haruki looked at Rin and blinked, taken aback by the question. "Wha-?"

"The past. Do…do you think he misses it?"

Haruki sighed. "I don't know. I mean, he belongs there…I'm sure he does."

Rin nodded, staring far off into the distance. Haruki guessed that Rin had kind of had grown fond of Hoshi, and he had to admit that the little pokémon had kind of grown on him also. He began to wonder something else…if Hoshi did miss his time, how was he going to get back? Sure, they could search for Celebi themselves, but how long would that take? If it took to long to locate Celebi and convince her to return Hoshi back to the past, then Hoshi might become too attached to this time. Although Haruki and Rin had come to like Hoshi, they had to acknowledge the fact that Hoshi didn't belong in this time, not yet anyway. "We need to find Celebi…"

"What?!" shouted Rin loudly, but whispered as soon as Hoshi turned over and moaned softly. Rin leaned in and whispered, "What do you mean? Do you really want him to go? So soon?"

Haruki leaned in and whispered back, "Rin, don't get me wrong. I like him just as much as you do, but…" he whispered quieter, "you and I both know that he doesn't belong in this time."

"I know he doesn't, but…but…but maybe he could grow to like it here. He doesn't have to go, and he could stay here with us. We could all be a team, you, me, and him. We could be the greatest rescue team ever!"

"Rin, he doesn't belong here!" Haruki shouted, and covered his mouth quickly, glancing at Hoshi, who appeared to still be asleep. He began again, more quietly, "He needs to get back to his own time. We have to find Celebi, but that could take a long time."

Rin considered that for a moment, "You're right…he needs to get back to the past. Well, there is one way of finding Celebi…"

Haruki saw the look on Rin's face and realized what the Squirtle was about to say, "Xatu!"

Rin nodded, "We could go up there and ask Xatu where Celebi is. That way, we can take Hoshi to her-"

"…Haruki?" Rin and Haruki looked over at Hoshi. He was sat up on the bed and had apparently been listening in on the conversation they were having. His face had tear streaks, and he wiped his eyes.

"What's wrong, Hoshi? Didja have a bad dream?" asked Haruki.

Hoshi shook his head, "No…I…" his bottom lip quivered. "I…"

"Is this about you returning to your own time?" asked Rin.

Hoshi nodded.

Haruki sighed sympathetically, "It's gonna be okay, Hoshi. We'll still see you…you'll just be older, that's all."

Hoshi just stared. "Huh?"

"Don't worry, we're gonna find Celebi and you'll be able to return to your own time," said Rin.

"Oh…"

"Don't you want to return back?"

"Yeah, but…how are we going to find that pokémon, Celebi? She must be hard to find."

Haruki nodded, "I'm sure she is too. That's why we're gonna go back to Xatu and ask him to predict where Celebi will be next."

Hoshi nodded, it made sense to return to Xatu. He didn't meet Xatu the last time they were there, because he was asleep. Meeting Xatu would definitely help him return back to his time, but did he really want to return? He had friends here, and they didn't exist there in his time. He could only see them again when he was grown, and is that what he wanted? That could be a long time, but he didn't know how long; and he was pretty sure that Rin and Haruki didn't know either.

"We're gonna set off for the top of the mountain again soon. If we start off within the next couple of hours, then we can make it up there by sundown. We just have to get repacked for the trip up there," said Rin as he picked up his pack from the floor, setting it on the table and opening it. "We have plenty of water, but we need to get more berries. Hoshi, you and Haruki can go into the forest and get the berries. They'll be growing up high in the trees, so you guys will have to find a way to get them down, but stay away from the red spiky ones…those are Tamato Berries, and they're really really hot."

Hoshi yawned and rolled off the bed, standing up. "Okay…" His stomach rumbled audibly. "Hmm…?"

"Erm…maybe you should eat first…just so you don't eat the ones you guys pick." Rin tossed Hoshi a pink berry. "Here's a Pecha Berry. It's sweet, but it's very soft, so don't handle it too rough otherwise it'll break apart." Hoshi ate the berry gratefully and smiled.

"Thanks, Rin." He said happily. Haruki also ate a Pecha Berry after sneaking it from the pack.

"Okay, let's go!" Haruki said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Wait!" shouted Rin, digging in his pack again, pulling out a book with a berry on the cover. "Take this. It's a guide book that gives descriptions of berries."

"Thanks." Haruki said as he handed the book to Hoshi. "Well, we'd better go and get those berries so we can head off to Xatu as soon as possible."

Hoshi nodded and followed Haruki out the door. They began to make their way towards the forest, but Hoshi stopped suddenly when they almost entered the forest.

"Come on, Hoshi. We need to get those berries," said Haruki, turning to face Hoshi.

Hoshi shook his head and clung to the berry book tightly, "No, that pokémon is in there…"

"Huh? What pokémon?"

"The one that attacked me…and…and…he's with those others…" Hoshi took a couple steps back.

"How do ya know?" asked Haruki.

"I can feel it…"

"You mean you can sense them?" Hoshi nodded. "Where are they?"

"Deep in the forest…"

"Well," said Haruki, walking into the entrance forest, "we're not going very far, and we'll still be able to see the base."

"W-Wait for me!" shouted Hoshi, chasing after Haruki. Little did they know that Team Alakazam was not as far as Hoshi and Haruki thought, in fact, the two pokémon were within earshot of the Team.

Alakazam stopped and looked around slowly. "Do you sense something, Alakazam?" asked Tyranitar.

Alakazam didn't respond immediately, but then replied cautiously, "Yes, we are not alone…"

Charizard and Tyranitar looked at each other, then Charizard looked back at Alakazam, "Are there more pokémon in trouble?"

"…There is a power near…similar to the Destroyer's…but this one seems…seems more powerful…"

"Then, we need to eliminate it as soon as possible!" said Tyranitar heatedly. "We need to crush it!"

"I agree," said Charizard. "We need to find this pokémon and do away with it. It might pose a threat like the Destroyer would have…"

"Hmm…" Alakazam was now deep in thought. The power he sensed was definitely similar to that of the small pokémon that they had defeated the day before, but why did it seem so familiar. Unless… "Unless…unless the new power I sense…is really the Destroyer."

"But…I thought-"

"We didn't eliminate the Destroyer…he survived, and he's grown more powerful."

"We have to find him," growled Tyranitar, "and make sure the job is done."

"Charizard," said Alakazam curtly.

"Yes, Alakazam?" asked Charizard, stepping forward.

"Fly above the forest, and look for the pokémon we battled yesterday…" Charizard nodded and spread his wings wide, and beating his wings powerfully and rose into the air. Within seconds, he was soaring above the treetops, scanning the scenery below. "Tyranitar."

"Yes?"

"Use Dig and try to get a sense of where the pokémon is on the ground."

"What are you going to do, Alakazam?"

"I'm going to try to calculate approximately how strong our foe will be…that way, when you and Charizard return, we can prepare for the battle ahead."

Tyranitar nodded and began digging, diving into the ground. Alakazam closed his eyes and began to Meditate, trying to size up the power he feared could belong to the Destroyer.

Haruki and Hoshi walked farther into the forest until they finally found some berry trees. "Boy, Rin wasn't kidding. Those berries are high up in the trees."

Hoshi stood next to him and stared up at the berries hanging from the branches. "How are we gonna get them down?"

Haruki crossed his arms, "I dunno. If I use Ember, I might set the whole forest on fire. I could use Metal Claw, but I can't jump that high." He closed his eyes and began to think hard, and as he was thinking, a round yellow berry with green spots floated down from the branches above, circling Haruki slowly. The berry then balanced itself on top of Haruki's head, and soon, more of the same berries followed the first until Haruki unknowingly had a tower of them on top of his head. Hoshi giggled.

Haruki opened his eyes and looked at Hoshi, "Huh? What's so funny?" He looked up and let out a scream, falling onto his back on the ground. Haruki looked up and the berries were still stacked like he was still standing, then they drifted slowly down to the ground and began to heap themselves into a neat pile. "Woah! That's cool, how'd ya do that, Hoshi?"

"I used Psychic," said Hoshi, rubbing his head and laughing. "I thought it would be easier and it seems to be much more fun!"

Haruki laughed, "You're right about that! Okay, let's see which berries we have here…" he pointed to the book in Hoshi's hands. "Look it up in the book, Hoshi."

Hoshi nodded and opened the book, flipping through the pages quickly and looking at the pile of fruit for comparison to the pictures. "They're Aspear Berries. They're super hard and they taste sour, and they help in defrosting a pokémon."

"Sour?! Bleh!!" he stuck out his tongue. "Let's find ones that taste better." Haruki looked up at the branches. "Looks like all that is here is more Aspear Berries…we'll have to go somewhere else, but we'll take what we have for now." He undid his bandana and unfolded it completely, laying it on the ground and putting the berries in it. Haruki looked at Hoshi. "Let's see some more of that Psychic. Can you help pack all these berries?"

"Sure!" Hoshi's eyes glowed and the bandana began to tie itself around the berries.

"Great! Now, let's go find some different berries." Haruki picked up the bandana filled with berries and they began walking back towards the trail. "The last thing I'm gonna do is munch on sour tasting berries while going up the mountain." Hoshi agreed and giggled when Haruki made a funny face at the thought of tasting the Aspear Berries. Now, they were unknowingly in sight of Charizard, who had spotted them as they walked up the trail. Immediately, he turned and headed back towards Alakazam. Tyranitar had also sensed the vibrations of the two pokémon above and began to dig his way back as well.

Alakazam opened his eyes as Charizard touched down next to him and moments later, Tyranitar popped up out of the ground in a mound of dirt. "It is the pokémon that we took on yesterday, Alakazam," said Charizard. "I got a visual…the Destroyer is with the human that is a Charmander, and they are alone. They are walking along the trail to the West.

"How far are they, Tyranitar?"

Tyranitar stood up straight, "They're not far off from our current location, less than a mile at the most."

"Good," said Alakazam. "Let's go find them. Take the Charmander…I'll take on the Destroyer…"

"But, Alakazam-!" began Charizard.

"A one-on-one battle between the Destroyer and me…his abilities will be tested, and so will mine. If there is a moment…a single second where I think I need assistance…then…we all attack…and put a permanent end to his existence…"

The two pokémon nodded, and began leading the way towards Haruki and Hoshi.

"Do ya see any berries, Hoshi?" asked Haruki, scanning the branches.

"There's one!" Hoshi pointed at a solitary berry hanging from the branch up ahead. They ran over and stared at it, it was round and a bright red with points on it.

"Uh…I think that's the one Rin told us to avoid…" said Haruki skeptically.

Hoshi opened the book and searched through the descriptions. "Red…red…pointy…here it is." He turned the book and showed Haruki, "Tamato Berry. It's very spicy and dry…"

"That doesn't sound any better than the sour ones we've got now!" whined Haruki. "I wish Rin told us where he gets those sweet berries…I'd sure love some of those to take up the mountain."

Hoshi nodded and licked his lips, closing the book. "Yeah, those are really really good." Haruki looked around at the branches, hoping to find anything besides a Tamato or Aspear Berry. Hoshi heard a soft rustling in the bush next to him and poked at it. "Hello?" Suddenly, a Pecha berry landed gently on the ground. "A Pecha Berry! I-" Hoshi bent forward to pick it up, but as he did the berry began to float and levitated away from Hoshi. "Hey!" He began to follow it through the foliage. "Wait up! Come back, Pecha Berry!"

"Hmm? Hoshi?" Haruki looked over in time to see Hoshi disappear into the dense foliage. "Hoshi! Where're ya goin'?!" He chased after him. It was hard to keep sight of Hoshi through all the leaves and limbs hitting his face. What could have grabbed the little pokémon's attention that he would just run off into an unknown forest?

Hoshi, jumped up occasionally, grabbing at the berry. "Wait!" The berry floated out of his reach and into a small clearing, setting down gently in the center. Hoshi ran over and picked it up without paying any attention to his surroundings. "Got you! Haruki, I got-" he looked up and his lip quivered, taking a few steps back.

"Hello again …" said Alakazam softly. Hoshi whimpered and turned to run, but he ran into Tyranitar.

"Where do you think you're going…?" Tyranitar snarled, leaning forward.

Hoshi make a squeaking sound, quickly backing away from Tyranitar, "H-H-H-H-" he managed to stutter, continuing to back up as looked from Tyranitar to Alakazam and back. He kept backing up until his back touched something warm. He looked up and his heart plummeted, dropping the berry and book he was holding. "H-H-HARUKI!" he screamed, trying to run, but he was grabbed by Charizard before he could get very far. He thrashed around and continued to scream. "H-HARUKI!!"

Haruki burst through the foliage and stopped as soon as he saw what was going on. "Hoshi?!"

"Haruki! Help me!" Hoshi cried, continuing to thrash.

"Let him go, now!" shouted Haruki, his anger beginning to build as he continued to clutch the bandana full of the berries that were picked earlier.

"Stay out of this, Haruki…" said Alakazam. "This is none of your concern-"

"He's my friend! When he's in trouble, it's my concern!!" He threw aside the berries, the flame on his tail growing.

"A fight is it?" chuckled Tyranitar. "Do you really think a puny Charmander like you can take on a gold ranked rescue team…?"

"Gold rank or not…" shouted Haruki, running forward, ready for battle. "I'm still gonna kick your butt!!!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Gold rank or not…" shouted Haruki, running forward, ready for battle. "I'm still gonna kick your butt!!!"

Charizard continued to hold Hoshi tight as he watched the Charmander charge towards Tyranitar. He chuckled and then turned to face Alakazam, "He can handle the human…but while he's busy…" He set Hoshi down in front of Alakazam, keeping a grip on the little pokémon.

Alakazam nodded and raised his spoons as his eyes glowed, "Barrier!" A large bubble appeared around half of the clearing, enclosing every pokémon except Haruki and Tyranitar.

"Hoshi!" shouted Haruki, running past Tyranitar to the force field. He began to pound at the bubble with his fists. "Metal Claw!" he screamed, his claws hitting the bubble and bouncing off. Tyranitar grabbed Haruki from behind and tossed him into the air and reared back his hand and yelled,

"Dragon Claw!" The force of the attack his Haruki square in the face, knocking him across the clearing. Haruki stood up, a large bruise beginning to appear on his cheek, and he charged forward and jumped into the air.

"Fire Fang!" His teeth bit into Tyranitar's arm, flames erupting from his mouth as they did.

Tyranitar smirked, "Dark Pulse!" Again, Haruki was knocked back across the clearing, and again he stood back up and began to charge at Tyranitar again. Meanwhile, inside Alakazam's Barrier, Charizard released Hoshi and stepped back until he was at the edge of the force field, leaving the two other pokémon in the center.

"So…" said Alakazam, beginning to circle Hoshi slowly. "You managed to survive our last encounter, and, even with my Team's best attacks hitting dead on, you managed to walk away without even a scratch…you're more powerful than I realized…much more powerful…"

Hoshi kept his eyes on Alakazam, shaking where he was standing. He whimpered as he watched Alakazam, wondering what was going to happen but afraid to find out. "I-I-I don't k-k-know w-what you're t-talking about…" he stuttered.

"You…you are the Destroyer…the one destined to destroy this world…"

Hoshi's eyes grew wide, "W-What…?"

"Didn't you know…ah, but of course…you couldn't have..." Alakazam mused. "You're so young…there is no way you know…" Hoshi continued to listen closely, Alakazam now had his full attention. "It's easy to predict some other's future…but near impossible to predict your own…"

Charizard watched on. Alakazam was toying with the little pokémon, and he was quickly losing interest. Why was Alakazam bothering with enlightening the future Destroyer with facts that he didn't need to know…that he wasn't supposed to know. If it was up to him, Hoshi would be dead right now. He had half a mind to just fire a few Fire Blasts right into the little pokémon's back, but that wasn't Alakazam's plan. All he had to do now was watch until Alakazam gave the signal for back up.

"If you had known your future from the very beginning…would you want to stay alive…knowing that you would be the downfall of an entire world? Or would you try to change your future and hope for the best…? I know you went to Xatu yesterday…so you must have heard his prediction of you…"

Hoshi shook his head. "N-No. I w-was asleep…"

"Pity…" Alakazam said quietly. "I went to Xatu long before you or Team Getchu ever thought about seeking his predictions…let me recite to you what Xatu foretold to me…" Alakazam closed his eyes. "Darkness will begin to form inside the Destroyer in his youth…grasping the soul tightly in its grip…multiplying the already powerful pokémon's abilities…and twisting his dreams…" Hoshi stood frozen as he listened, unable to believe what he was hearing. He didn't want to hear anymore, but he couldn't stop listening. He covered his ears and shut his eyes tightly.

"No…!"

"Infecting them with images that will make him fall into despair…" Alakazam continued, his voice growing louder with each word, "and hopelessness…making him believe that to get what he wants…what he needs…he has to destroy…and kill…until he finds it…"

"Stop! Please, I don't want to hear any more!"

Hoshi shook his head in denial. He didn't want to know this; he didn't want to know what he would become. But Alakazam continued his slow emotional torture. "We shall all suffer…and the suffering will not stop at only our world… but…for the entire universe as well…"

"STOP!!!" Hoshi roared, a blast aura erupting from his body, sending a huge shockwave throughout the Barrier.

Haruki, who had just been knocked back for the tenth time, looked over at the dome where the three pokémon were sealed. He saw the brightness of the blast. Was that an attack? Did Alakazam create that attack? Was Hoshi…gone? "Hoshi?!" he cried out. Tyranitar stopped and watched also. He knew that it was not Alakazam's attack, but it looked to be just as powerful…possibly even more powerful than any of Alakazam's attacks. By the looks of it, the Barrier was just barely strong enough to contain the blast, but how much more attacks like that could it take?

Inside the Barrier, Charizard shielded himself with his wings, but the power of the blast still caused him considerable damage. He fell to the ground, near unconsciousness. Alakazam, however, cast up a Barrier around himself as Hoshi unleashed the attack, but it shattered, and he too was considerably damaged, but still able to stand…just barely. "R…Recover!"

Alakazam glowed for a moment and most of his damage was healed, but he was still badly hurt. He looked over and saw Hoshi's body emitting white energy, and he took a couple of steps back; he had to try to heal himself again. Hoshi realized what Alakazam was about to do, and he cried out, "Heal Block!" A beam of aura hit Alakazam, but made no visible damage.

"What…kind of attack was that? …Recover!" But nothing happened. "Recover!" Again, nothing happened. Alakazam realized that that must be the attack's affect, but he'd never heard of an attack having that affect. The only attack that could do anything close was…

"Disable!" Hoshi shouted. Now, even if Heal Block faded, Disable would prevent Alakazam from healing himself.

"A…Alakazam…!" grunted Charizard as he staggered to his feet. Without the ability to heal, Alakazam would be at a huge disadvantage; healing was part of all Alakazam's strategies. Alakazam probably never guessed that this little pokémon would know any attacks to prevent healing. Hoshi looked over at Charizard and he lifted his hand, and Charizard braced for the attack,

"Gravity!" Hoshi cried out, and Charizard was thrown to the ground, unable to get up again. He could feel an invisible force holding him down against the ground. He tried to beat his wings, but he was too weak and the force of Gravity was too strong for him to move an inch. He was helpless, and if he was helpless then Alakazam was no match for Hoshi either.

"Confusion!" shouted Alakazam. The attack hit dead on, but it simply bounced off of Hoshi's body, having absolutely no affect. "No…!" Alakazam was very tired, but he had to eliminate this threat. How?

"Alakazam!" shouted Tyranitar. He stepped back a couple of steps. "Dragon Claw!" His claws bounced off the Barrier, but he kept repeating the attack. Tyranitar was sure that if he attacked the Barrier long enough, then it would break and he could aid Alakazam…he was a Dark type, and the little pokémon's powers wouldn't affect him, and that might at least give him a small advantage. Haruki, stumbled to his feet, badly damaged. He breathed hard as he watched Tyranitar attack the Barrier, and then he looked over and saw Hoshi. Hoshi was actually winning! He somehow had Charizard glued to the ground and Alakazam looked to be on the verge of defeat. He then realized that if Tyranitar managed to break through, then the tide of the battle inside could change…he had to stop Tyranitar at any cost.

"F…F…Flamethrower!" he yelled, and a jet of fire burst from his mouth, hitting Tyranitar in the center of his back, but Tyranitar continued to attack the Barrier. Haruki could have sworn that the Barrier as cracking…he had to think fast. "Hey, ugly!" Tyranitar stopped his attacking and turned to face Haruki.

"Shut it, kid-!" he saw Haruki charging at him. Haruki jumped up, eye level with Tyranitar.

"Focus Punch!" The attack hit Tyranitar on the side of his face and he was knocked away from the cracking Barrier. Haruki danced where he landed, clutching his aching hand. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" He stuck his hand in his mouth as tears welled up in his eyes. "Dat Hurd!" He looked over at Tyranitar, surprised to see him laying on the ground moaning. Did he really hit him that hard? Then he noticed that Tyranitar was dripping wet. He looked over to see something running towards the clearing, but what was it? As he watched it grow closer, he began to see the figure more clearly…and he became greatly relieved…

Hoshi charged up for another attack, and Alakazam threw up another Barrier around himself, ready for the attack he knew would smash his defense.

"Rin!" shouted Haruki happily as he pulled his hand from his mouth, limping over to meet the Squirtle. He flung his arms around him, "I'm so glad to see you!"

"What happened to you?!" asked Rin, setting down the pack quickly and opening it.

"Oh, this?" he laughed nervously. "It's just a couple of scratches…"

"A couple of scratches? Haruki, you look like you've been through a tornado!" Rin pulled out the Berry Pouch, pulling out an Oran Berry.

"Thanks," Haruki said gratefully, quickly eating the Berry. He immediately felt better. When he finished, he looked at Rin. "How'd ya find us?"

"Well," said Rin. "You two were taking an awfully long time with the berries, so I went to find you. I was barely inside the forest when I heard the sounds of attacks. I ran towards the sound and when I reached the clearing, I saw you charging towards Tyranitar. I thought that your attack might fail, so I attacked him from behind. Tyranitar may be a Dark type pokémon, but he's also a Ground type…so he's weak against Water type attacks."

Haruki nodded. "Good thing you did. I probably wouldn't be able to take him down on my own with the condition I was in."

"Yeah…" Rin looked over at the Barrier. "Woah!"

"He's doin' good on his own, don't ya think? I was worried at first, but he's got 'em on the ropes now."

"That light…"

"Huh?"

"Look at the glow of the light," said Rin, all serious. Haruki looked at Hoshi in the barrier. He was glowing like before when Hoshi first faced Alakazam's Team, but…

"It's white!" realized Haruki.

Rin nodded. "Yeah, it's not dark anymore…which means-"

"Hoshi's not gonna be the Destroyer!"

"Right! We have to stop the battle, but how?"

"First, we need to break that Barrier…" said Haruki.

"Let's attack it together!" Rin ran up to the side of the Barrier jumping up into the air, "Aqua Tail!" He swung around in midair and struck his tail on the side of the Barrier, making the cracks in it widen.

Haruki charged at the Barrier, "Focus Punch!" His fist struck the Barrier and the cracks spread along its side.

"Let's attack all at once now!" said Rin, stepping back a couple of feet, ready to for another attack. "You with me, Haruki?"

Haruki nodded, standing beside Rin. "You know it! Ready…" They began to charge at the Barrier.

"Aqua Tail!"

"Focus Punch!"

Their attacks together shattered the Barrier, exposing the pokémon inside.

"Yeah!"

"We did it!"

Alakazam looked over at Haruki and Rin as the Barrier disappeared. "What-?!"

Haruki and Rin ran forward, "Hoshi!!" the called out together. Hoshi turned towards them.

"Haruki! Rin!" he cried happily, running to meet them as he powered down, knocking them to the ground as he hugged them. "I'm really glad to see you guys!" he began to cry. Haruki patted the little pokémon's head.

"There, there, it's okay now." He laughed. Rin stood up and picked up the bandana of berries and book Hoshi had dropped earlier. He undid the knot with some difficulty and the berries they had picked earlier fell to the ground.

"Aspear Berries? Is that all you guys got?"

Haruki and Hoshi sat up, Haruki looking somewhat offended, "Hey, give us a break…it was either those or a Tamato Berry." Rin handed the bandana back to Haruki, and Haruki tied it back around his neck.

Alakazam staggered over to where Charizard lay pinned to the ground. He waved his spoon over Charizard and the Gravity attack was lifted. Charizard stood up and looked at Alakazam. "Are you…alright?"

Alakazam nodded, "Yes…but the effects of his attacks on me are still in place…we need to wait for those to fade if I am to heal myself-"

Alakazam's sentence was cut short by two Oran Berries floating in midair in front of him and Charizard. "What the-?" asked Charizard, surprised. He and Alakazam looked up to see Hoshi walking towards them. Charizard began to tense up, but Alakazam threw a hand in front of the fire pokémon. He watched Hoshi closely as the little pokémon approached. Hoshi lifted his hands and the berries fell into each one. He held them up to Alakazam and Charizard.

"Here…" he said, smiling. "They'll make you feel better."

Charizard turned his nose up at the offered Berries, but Alakazam stared at the little pokémon in front of him. "Take it…" he said softly to Charizard.

"But, Alakazam-!" Charizard said defensively.

"You and I both are exhausted, and we need to revive our strength." Charizard eyed Alakazam. "It's alright…it's safe…" Charizard nodded hesitantly, taking the berry and eating it, feeling his strength quickly returning. Alakazam took the other berry, his hand brushing Hoshi's, and his eyes narrowed. "Your aura…"

Haruki walked over and stood beside Hoshi, placing his arm around the pokémon. "Yep, Hoshi doesn't have that darkness in him anymore. We don't know what forced it out of him, but we're glad it's gone."

Alakazam closed his eyes and smiled, "I should have known that…during our battle…your aura was different from our first encounter…" He ate the berry and felt his strength begin to return. "Thank you…Hoshi."

"Excellent…" said a soft voice.

Everyone looked up to see Xatu standing a few feet away. "Are you…Xatu…?" asked Hoshi, stepping forward. He gazed in awe as the pokémon approached him. Xatu nodded.

"Yes…" Xatu replied, gazing around at the company of pokémon in front of him. "I have been watching the struggle from afar…" He looked in Haruki and Rin's direction. "You two…the Squirtle and the human who is a Charmander…you are the ones responsible…for this…" Xatu wrapped his wing around Hoshi, pulling him gently to his side; Hoshi looked up Xatu and smiled.

"Y-You're saying," began Haruki, "that we're the ones who caused the fight?"

"Haruki, hush!" hissed Rin. "Let him finish…"

"You two…with your kindness…have saved our world…" Everyone was silent. Xatu then looked to Alakazam. "Alakazam…you, however…nearly destroyed the world…"

Alakazam was astonished, "W…What? What do you mean, Xatu?"

"…because," continued Xatu, "you tried to wipe out…not the Destroyer…but…the Protector…"

"The…Protector?" asked Hoshi, confused. "B…But I thought-"

"What you thought, young one…what Alakazam told you…that was only part of the prediction. He had left before hearing the rest…

"And when the Destroyer has learned friendship…and love, he will no longer be called Destroyer…but Protector…of our world…" Alakazam hung his head in slight shame as he listened to the rest of the prediction, his Team standing behind him. "No where…does it say that once the Destroyer has gained what he was searching for…that he still must be eliminated…and for that Alakazam…" Alakazam braced for his punishment. "You will be the one…to aid me in summoning Celebi…"

Everyone gasped. Haruki was the first to speak, "Summon Celebi? You mean…you can summon Celebi? Right here? Right now?"

Xatu nodded. "Yes, and it is with great haste that we must do it…for Celebi is to return to the past soon…and it could be a long time before she reappears in this time again…"

Alakazam stepped forward, "Xatu, but what about-?"

"The pure of heart…the caregiver…and the one whom is not what he seems?" Alakazam nodded. "Can't you see them…? For they are among us…"

Alakazam looked around, "You mean…?"

"Team Getchu…please step forward…" whispered Xatu. Haruki and Rin stepped forward until they were in front of Xatu. Xatu raised his other wing and pointed to each one in succession. "Hoshi…the pure of heart…" Hoshi left Xatu's side and stood in between Rin and Haruki. "Rin…the caregiver…" Rin blushed and scratched his head, smiling widely. "And…Haruki…the one whom is not what he seems…" Haruki stood up straight, smiling and saluting to Xatu.

"Just tell us what we need to do, Xatu!"

"I need you three to join hands…to channel your energies…" Xatu looked over at Alakazam. "And you need to focus your mind…concentrate only on Celebi…" Alakazam nodded and stepped forward, standing across from Xatu with Haruki, Rin, and Hoshi between them.

"Right." He closed his eyes, raising his spoons as they began to glow, his body glowing. Xatu also closed his eyes and began to glow. The trio looked at one another, each nodding to the other, and they joined hands. They began to glow as well, their energy beginning to pulse softly through the forest.

Tyranitar and Charizard watched as the forest seemed to whisper, searching for through its own depths for a single soul. "Amazing…" whispered Charizard. Tyranitar nodded in agreement, speechless.

Suddenly, a bright blinding light appeared, shining from above. A small shadow descended within the light, flitting about excitedly. "Joy! Oh, joy! The future is bright! The shadows are gone! Oh, joy! Oh, joy! Oh, joy!"

The trio in the middle gazed up in awe, hearing the pokémon's voice. "Is that…?" asked Hoshi, captivated by the light.

"Could it be…?" Rin whispered, his eyes following the flitting shadow.

"It is…" said Haruki, smiling wide and beginning to laugh happily.

The figure touched down on the ground gently, gazing around at the company gathered around it. She squealed happily, jumping up and doing a flip in midair.

"Celebi…" said Xatu and Alakazam quietly. Everyone else stared in awe…they were in the presence of a legendary pokémon; all they could do was stare.

"Oh, Xatu!" cried Celebi happily, floating over to Xatu, meeting his gaze. "I have seen it! The future...it is bright! Everything is at peace!"

Xatu nodded, "Yes…the Destroyer shall never wreak his devastation upon this world any time soon." He raised his wing in the direction of Team Getchu. "The Protector will see to that…"

The Team looked at each other and realized that they were still holding hands. They quickly let go, Rin and Haruki laughing as their faces flushed with embarrassment. Hoshi, however, approached Celebi slowly. He tilted his head and stared up at the pokémon hovering above him. "You…you're the one…"

Celebi nodded, drifting down until her feet grazed the ground. "Yes, it is me. It was me. I couldn't bear to see the world as it would be…so I traveled back in time to find you, Mewtwo."

Hoshi stared. It was the first time since he had arrived in this time that someone had actually called him by the name he was given before everything happened…before he knew love, and before he had friends. He shook his head, "That's not my name. My name is Hoshi now…"

Celebi blinked, but smiled, "Hoshi, such a wonderful name. Tell me, who has given you this magnificent name." Hoshi pointed behind him at Haruki, and at the same time Haruki raised his hand.

"I did, Celebi."

Celebi walked over to him, gazing at him with her large blue eyes. "…Haruki."

"But…how did you-?"

Celebi giggled and smiled sweetly. "I discovered you running from your home after I had returned from the future. I heard your mother call out your name and I watched you as you ran, and so I decided to follow."

Haruki listened, and he had half a mind to point at Celebi and yell "Stalker!"

"…I noticed how excited you were about becoming a trainer, and I just knew you had to have a strong love for pokémon. To save the world, I needed someone who could show compassion to a pokémon who knew not what compassion was…and a great trainer can show compassion for any pokémon, no matter the circumstance.

"I began to use a small spell of Hypnosis to lull you to sleep slowly…and I had made the Tree of the Ancients visible to you, hoping you would fall asleep under it."

"That was the tree I didn't recognize?!"

Celebi nodded, "Yes. The Tree of the Ancients has mystical abilities, and when you fell asleep and touched its bark, I asked it for help…I asked it to bring you here, to this place, but…with you being human…my hope was slim that you would fit in. So, I asked of its assistance with your appearance…"

"And…that's why I'm a Charmander?"

Again, Celebi nodded. "Yes."

"…Is…is there a way…I could change back?"

"Yes…you go back the way you came. All you simply need to do…is to touch the bark of the Tree of the Ancients, and you shall be returned to your proper place and form."

"That's all I have to do…?" asked Haruki slowly. "Touch the Tree…and I'm back to my human self…?" He was in shock and he could feel his heart being torn two ways. Haruki looked back at Rin, who, before he could change it, had a sad look on his face. He turned back and saw Hoshi, staring at him with tears filling his eyes. "Well…"

"Hmm? What's the matter, Haruki?" asked Celebi, tilting her head.

"The thing is…if that's all I have to do…" he began to smile slowly, "then, I guess I can stay around for a while longer. After all…" He looked at Rin again, "I am part of a rescue team."

"Not just any rescue team," said Rin happily, tears of joy welling up in his eyes, "the best rescue team ever…Team Getchu!" He ran up and hugged Haruki tight, both of them laughing. Hoshi watched them hug, wiping his eyes and smiling softly.

Haruki looked over Rin at the little pokémon, "Hoshi, get over here!" he laughed as he extended his arm to him. Hoshi let out a sound between a sob and a laugh, running over and joining the duo.

After a minute, Celebi smiled and said softly, "Hoshi…it's time."

Hoshi pulled away from Haruki and Rin reluctantly, but before he could walk towards Celebi, Haruki placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wait, Hoshi…" Hoshi turned back to Haruki. Haruki reached behind his head and undid his red bandana, and Hoshi watched as he tied it gently around Hoshi's neck.

Hoshi touched the bandana with his fingers, "Haruki…?"

"It's a reminder…so you can remember that no matter what time you're in…you'll always be an honorary member of Team Getchu." Tears began to stream down Hoshi's cheeks as he nodded and hugged Haruki. "Take care of yourself…"

"…And if you're ever near the area, drop us a line!" said Rin happily, hugging Hoshi also. "Even if we're old and wrinkly, we'll be happy to see a familiar face."

Hoshi giggled and wiped his eyes, nodding. "I promise…" he turned back to Celebi and walked over to her. She gazed at him softly, "Are you ready?" He nodded and Celebi placed her hand on his shoulder. "Then, let's go…" She closed her eyes, and both she and Hoshi began to glow. The forest around them had also begun to glow brightly as well. Haruki and Rin shielded their eyes from the bright light and they could see Hoshi casting them one last look as he waved at them, and then just like that…he and Celebi were gone.

The light dimmed, and Haruki and Rin lowered their arms, staring at where Hoshi and Celebi had vanished. "He's gone…" said Haruki slowly, a bit sad now. Rin nodded. Neither of them had remembered the other pokémon in the clearing, and, without a word to the two of them, Alakazam's Team and Xatu left.

"Well, Haruki…" said Rin, breaking the silence. "We still need a leader…"

"Not this again!" groaned Haruki, turning and beginning to walk in the direction of the base.

"I'm just saying! With those attacks of yours and your great leadership…" Rin replied excitedly, catching up with Haruki and walking beside him.

"I already told ya…no! It's too much responsibility!"

"Aww, come on!"

"No!"

"But-!"

"I said NO!"

Five years later, Haruki stood outside the base of Team Getchu, stretching his wings wide and yawning. He had just woken up from a seriously needed nap after having completed an A ranked mission the day before with Rin. In the years since Hoshi's departure from that time, the base had grown considerably with the help of the Mankey brothers; the Team had also grown in members over the passing years…as did Haruki and Rin's leveling up. With all the training and missions, Haruki and Rin evolved. Haruki was now a powerful Charizard and Rin, a strong, yet still energetic, Blastoise. Of course, Rin's energetic and hyper behavior was not as cute now as it was then, and occasionally wore on Haruki's nerves. Everyday, Rin would travel from the lake to the base and ask Haruki if he had seen Hoshi…and every day was the same answer.

Haruki looked around for Rin, concerned. Rin usually arrived at around this time, and he was never late…but today he was. He tightened the knot on his bandana and began to walk towards the lake.

He was halfway there when he saw Skiploom hovered towards him, "Hello there, Haruki!" Haruki smiled. He remembered that this Skiploom evolved from the Jumpluff who had helped him and Rin find Hoshi those years ago. Haruki nodded and continued walking.

"Hello, Skiploom."

"Where are you going today? On another mission?"

Haruki shook his head, "No, not yet anyway. I'm going to visit Rin."

"Is he sick?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

"Well, I'm heading for the village. Do you want anything for your next mission?"

"No, but thank you. I'll see you later, Skiploom."

"See you, Haruki!" Skiploom said as he floated away from Haruki towards the village.

Haruki continued walking until he reached the lake, but one look around at the surface told him that Rin was not there. Just as he was about to turn around, he saw Rin emerge from behind a cluster of trees, running towards him. "Haruki!" he shouted as he waved at him.

"There you are! I was beginning to think you moved without telling me. Why-?"

"Wait," panted Rin as he stopped in front of Haruki. "There's…there's a request…mailbox…"

"What?"

"You…didn't check the…mailbox…!"

"I know, because I was coming to see if you were still alive or not. You were late and I was starting to get worried-" Haruki said.

"We have a request…from Pelipper…"

"What does Pelipper want?"

"No, no, no. Pelipper delivered the request…!"

"So…?"

"It said," continued Rin, "that we're needed at the Pelipper Post Office right away!"

"Then, let's go!"

"Right!" They began to make their way towards the Post Office past the village. As they entered the village, they noticed that it was very busy. Everywhere they looked they saw rescue teams from all over. They continued walking, greeting everyone who acknowledged them; Team Getchu was now Gold Rank, and all Haruki could do was smile when the smaller pokémon gazed at them in awe as they passed. He remembered that he and Rin must have looked like that when staring at Alakazam's team for the first time; a Pichu was so excited when they looked in its direction and greeted it, that it fainted from an overcharge of its own Static.

Soon, they left the limits of the village and could see the Post Office up ahead. "There it is," said Rin. "I wonder who sent us the request…"

Haruki nodded, "Me too. I wonder if there's trouble at the Office."

"I don't think so, but it did seem pretty urgent…"

They quickened their pace and finally reached the Office. Standing outside were two figures, one of them Haruki and Rin recognized as Alakazam. They, however, didn't recognize the other; the figure was tall and kind of thin, and yet…Haruki couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the stranger.

"Good day, Haruki and Rin," said Alakazam, stepping forward and shaking Haruki and Rin's hands.

"It's nice to see you too, Alakazam," Haruki said, smiling. "Are you the one who sent us the request?"

"Not me, no."

"Then, who-?"

The stranger stepped forward at his question. "It's great to finally see you two again…"

"Erm…have we met?" asked Rin, puzzled.

"Don't you recognize me, Rin?"

Rin continued to think hard as Haruki eyed the figure closely, and then noticed a tattered red bandana around the stranger's neck…and it dawned on him. "H…Hoshi?"

Hoshi smiled and nodded. "Yep, it's me."

Rin shouted, "Hoshi?! It's really you!" He ran forward and hugged the pokémon tightly. "After all these years…how've you been?"

"I've been good. I've missed you two so much…!" Hoshi said, tears streaming down his face as he hugged Rin back tightly.

"We almost didn't recognize you," said Haruki, looking Hoshi over. "You've grown so much…"

"Yeah," said Rin as he let go of Hoshi and stepped back. "The last time we saw you, you were barely two feet tall!"

Hoshi smiled and straightened his back, showing his full height, "Yeah, and now I'm all grown up."

Haruki smiled and hugged Hoshi tight also. "It's really great to see you again, Hoshi."

Hoshi nodded, "It's great to see you too, Haruki."

"Hey!" Rin shouted, playfully punching Hoshi on the arm.

"And Rin." Hoshi added, rubbing his arm and laughing.

Alakazam smiled and bowed, "I think I'll leave you three to your little reunion…" And, like that, he teleported away. Hoshi looked back at Haruki and Rin,

"How long was I gone?"

"It's been five whole years yesterday since you left us…" said Haruki.

Hoshi's eyes widened, "Is that all…? I must have gone farther back than I thought…"

"Why do you say that?" asked Rin.

"Because…I'm seventeen-years old."

"Wow…how old were you when we met?"

"I was a little over a year old, I guess."

"So," said Haruki, "you've been gone from us for…sixteen years."

Hoshi nodded, "Yes, it seems so."

"Wow," said Rin, slightly in wonder, "that's a long time…"

"You've been waiting sixteen years to see us again?" asked Haruki.

"Yes…and there was something I was wondering about through all those years…"

"Hmm? What?"

"I was afraid…that by the time I actually caught up with your guys' time…that you would be gone, Haruki…"

Rin was confused, but Haruki knew exactly what he meant…he had meant that he was afraid that Haruki would have gone back to his own place and human form. He smiled, "No, I haven't gone back yet." He gestured at Rin. "Someone had to keep him in line, and I guessed that it had to be me."

Hoshi laughed, and both Haruki and Rin smiled. It had been five whole years since they had last heard Hoshi laugh or seen his smile. "It's really great that you're back, Hoshi…" said Rin. "After all these years, we still don't have a leader…so, if you want…"

Hoshi smiled and turned his head away, crossing his arms, "No, I don't think so…too much responsibility."

Haruki stifled a laugh at Rin's expression, "Aww, not you too! Come on, we need a leader! I don't see why you or Haruki-!"

Hoshi laughed again, "I was just messing with you, Rin. Of course, I'll be the leader if you need one that bad…"

"You mean it?" asked Rin, grinning widely.

"Of course."

"Finally!"

"Yeah," said Haruki, smirking. "After all these years, you've finally got a leader for the Team." He looked at Hoshi. "So…have you got someone?"

"Hmm?" asked Hoshi, tilting his head.

"You know…someone _special_?"

"What are you talking about, Haruki?"

Rin looked Haruki and then up at Hoshi, and realized immediately what he was meaning, "Ohh…" he nudged Hoshi playfully, winking. "He means, is there anyone _special_ in your life right now…?"

Hoshi blinked. "Yeah, you guys. You're my best friends…"

Haruki laughed, "No, I mean, do you have a special _lady_ friend?

Rin nudged Hoshi again, "Come on, you can tell us…"

"I'm afraid I don't understand…" said Hoshi, confused. Haruki and Rin groaned…surely Hoshi had to have some clue as to where this was going! "What are you two talking about?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?!" they shouted in unison.

"A girlfriend? What's that?"

Rin hit his forehead with his hand, groaning loudly as Haruki shook his head. "Seventeen years old…and he's still as naïve as he was when he was one."

Hoshi shrugged, "You guys are weird."

They rolled their eyes. "Whatever," sighed Haruki. He really was surprised at Hoshi, and he was sure Rin was too. Suddenly, they could hear a loud voice.

"Another mission! A mission for Getchu!"

Hoshi, Rin, and Haruki looked around and saw a Pelipper flying above them in the direction of their base. "Come on!" said Rin excitedly, beginning to run towards the base, Haruki and Hoshi following behind him.

Several minutes later, they were deep in the forest, walking along the trail. Hoshi was scanning the trees for any sign of the pokémon they were supposed to be searching for. The mission they had received was a C ranked mission…there simply was a little lost pokémon in the forest who couldn't find their way out. Rin kept his eyes on the ground, looking for tracks to identify, and Haruki kept his eyes straight ahead, listening for any calls for help. They continued walking until the came across a break in the trees, and Haruki had the feeling of déjà vu. He scanned the area and heard a small whimpering; he approached a nearby tree stump and discovered a red tail shaped like a plus shaking terribly. It had to be a Plusle.

"Hello…" Haruki said calmly, peeking around the stump at the small pokémon. The pokémon looked up, terrified, but that quickly disappeared as soon as it saw the bandana around Haruki's neck.

"You're…you're Team Getchu!" it said excitedly, looking over at Rin and Hoshi. "Did you come to rescue me?"

Haruki smiled and nodded. "We sure are; now, let's get you back home safely…" He picked up Plusle and set it on his shoulders, but as he turned to leave he noticed something familiar. He couldn't think of what it was immediately, but a moment later it hit him as he gazed at the stump where Plusle had been hiding…the same stump he had been asleep on five years previously!

Hoshi noticed something was strange about Haruki's behavior. "What's wrong, Haruki?"

Rin looked at Haruki also, following Haruki's gaze…and it hit him. This was the spot where Haruki first arrived. Haruki turned his gaze to the closest tree, the one Meowth had said that he had fallen out of…it had the be the Tree of the Ancients Celebi had told them about the day she and Hoshi had left for the past. Thoughts began to race through his mind as he took a cautious step towards the Tree, but Rin put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from going any farther. "We have a mission to complete, Haruki…" he said quietly.

Haruki continued to stare at the Tree, unable to hear Rin. He was barely a couple of feet away from returning to being human…back where he thought he belonged. "Haruki?" asked Hoshi, stepping forward and touching his arm. Haruki jumped and shook his head, turning his gaze away from the Tree.

"Let's get Plusle to safety…" he said quietly, walking back along the trail. Hoshi and Rin looked at each other sadly, and followed close behind Haruki. Half an hour later, they were out of the forest. Haruki picked up Plusle and place it on the ground gently. "There you go, and next time, be sure to walk with someone who knows their way around the forest."

"Okay, I will!" said Plusle happily, turning and running towards the village, looking back and waving at the trio. "Thanks, Team Getchu!"

Haruki, Hoshi, and Rin watched the Plusle run until he was within the boundaries of the village. Then, Hoshi and Rin looked at Haruki, and Rin broke the silence. "That…was the Tree back there…wasn't it…?"

Haruki nodded slowly, "Yes, it was…"

Hoshi looked at Rin as he continued to speak, "Do you…do you miss it? Being…human…?"

Haruki remained silent, and that moment of silence seemed to last forever in his mind. Hoshi spoke next, quietly, "Haruki…do you miss your family?"

Haruki looked at Hoshi with wide eyes…never once did it occur to him that he might miss his family. He was always concerned with becoming human again…he never once stopped to think that his family might be waiting for him…his mother and father…and Quilly…all of them…back home. He closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes…"

Rin looked as if he was about to protest, but Hoshi put an arm in front of him. "Then…you should go back to them."

"What…?" asked Haruki, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Rin hesitated but nodded in agreement, "Yeah…I'm sure you miss your Ma and Pa…as I'm sure they miss you."

Haruki stared at them in astonishment. "But…what about-?"

"The Team?" asked Rin, finishing his sentence. "You've taught our Team well, Haruki…we'll be fine."

Haruki looked at Hoshi; half hoping for an objection, but it never came. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Will you…?"

Hoshi finished his sentence this time, "Come with you…and see you off?"

Haruki nodded.

Hoshi smiled, "Of course…" Rin nodded and smiled.

Haruki took another deep breath and turned back towards the forest, walking slowly along the trail with Hoshi and Rin behind him. Soon, they were back where they had found Plusle, staring at the Tree of the Ancients. Hoshi placed a hand on Haruki's shoulder. "Are…you ready, Haruki?" Haruki nodded hesitantly, stepping towards the Tree until he was in front of it. He looked back at Hoshi and Rin, taking a last look at them as he raised his hand to the Tree, but before he could touch the bark, Rin stopped him.

"Wait, Haruki…" he said as he reached behind his head and untied his blue bandana, folding it carefully. "I…want you to have this." He extended it to Haruki, who simply stared down at it. Hoshi also untied the red bandana from around his neck, folding it and extending it towards Haruki.

"And…this."

"You guys…?" asked Haruki softly, looking from one to the other.

Rin smiled. "They're reminders…"

Hoshi continued as he smiled, "So you can remember that no matter what time you're in…"

"Or where or what you are…"

"You'll always be an honorary member of Team Getchu."

A tear streamed down Haruki's cheek as he accepted the bandanas, hugging both Hoshi and Rin. "Thank you, guys…I'll never forget either of you…ever…"

They smiled and hugged Haruki back tightly. "Take care of yourself, Haruki," said Rin in Haruki's ear.

"We'll meet again one day," said Hoshi reassuringly. They stepped back from Haruki and he turned to face the Tree. He turned his head and smiled at his friends as he lifted his hand…and he placed it on the bark. Immediately, the Tree of the Ancients began to glow brightly, sending soft pulses of energy through his body. He could see his friends' tear streaked, yet smiling, faces as they waved at him; darkness began to flood his vision…and then…they were gone. He could feel himself falling again, and he was surrounded in darkness. The familiar tingling sensation swarmed his body as his body began to cool down, and after what seemed like eternity…his face hit the dirt hard.

Haruki sneezed as blades of grass tickled his nose. He opened his eyes slowly and saw that he was lying in the grass by the road. He sat up and stretched, looking around. The vision of the forest had faded and was replaced with the scenery he had fallen asleep looking at. He looked behind him, expecting to see the tree he had fallen asleep under…but it was gone. Haruki looked down at his hands, turning them over and taking in their appearance. They were definitely human hands, but what else he noticed took him by surprise…they were exactly the same as they were when he was ten. He stretched out his legs and saw that he was still wearing the same pants, and as he observed his body more he discovered that he was wearing the exact same clothes he had wore the day he left home. "Was it…was it all just…a dream…?" he asked as he felt of his hat and hair. Rin…and Hoshi…everyone…were they just figments of his imagination? Did everything he experience…was it all just a daydream. It had felt so real…

He was about to stand up when he noticed something on the ground…two somethings. Haruki reached over and picked up what appeared to be two bandanas…one blue, and one red. Upon closer inspection of them, Haruki noticed berry stains on the blue bandana, and the red one was tattered…Rin and Hoshi. Haruki laughed. "It was real! They were real!" He thought for a moment, and smiled wide. "They _are_ real…and we will meet again." He placed the two bandanas in his backpack, slipping the pack back onto his shoulders, and he began running down the road towards Pallet Town.

An hour later, Haruki burst through Professor Oak's laboratory doors. "Hey, Professor!"

"Well, hello, Haruki," said Professor Oak cheerfully. "I was afraid you weren't going to make it here before the pokémon were all gone." He smiled and gestured towards a table in the center of the room with three pokéballs lying in a row on its surface. "I'm sure you've thought long and hard about which pokémon you would like. So tell me…which pokémon will you choose as a partner on your journey?"

Haruki stared at the pokéballs, gazing at them as thoughts raced through his mind about which one would be best. He reached out slowly and picked up one of the pokéballs and held it up. It opened and a beam of light hit the floor and began to take shape, and standing in front of him…was a Charmander. "This one…I choose Charmander."

"Very well then, a Fire type…great choice!"

Haruki knelt down beside the pokémon and pulled off his pack, setting it on the ground. He opened it and pulled out the two bandanas his friends had given him. "Which one do you like, Charmander…?"

"Char…? Charmander!" Charmander said as he pointed to the red one.

Haruki smiled as he tied the bandana around Charmander's neck, "This one belonged to a dear friend of mine…he's very powerful. Maybe some of his power can rub off on you…" He laughed.

"Charmander!" The pokémon laughed as he stroked his new bandana.

"What do ya say, buddy? Ready to begin our journey together?"

Charmander nodded, "Char!"

THE END

(OR IS IT?)


End file.
